Slave Driven
by ShadowDragon-24
Summary: Ed is sent to Xing on an assignment by a higher-up. When he gets there, however, everything suddenly goes bad. His three 'escorts' manage to get him KOd to use him for who knows what. Later, Al is sent along with Winry to investigate. Chapter 9 UP!
1. Tranquilized

_**Slave Driven**_

**Disclaimer: **I Don't Own _FMA_ In Any Way.

**Rating: **PG-13 and Older Due to Bad Language, Some Sexual Themes and Scenes of Torture.

**A/N: **This story was inspired by Chapter 74 of the _FMA _manga where Hoenheim is a slave. This story will mostly be manga-based; it's when Ed and Al have Al's body restored finally. Ed still has Automail limbs. Ages will be revealed within the story itself :) Have a happy read…

F----------------M----------------A

This had been so annoying. What the hell did he have to come _here_ for? Edward Elric, 18, sighed through gritted teeth as he stepped off the horse that had carried him at least halfway to Xing. The first half was walked and the horse was picked up in the ruins of Xerxes. Some archeologists were there with their own mounts and had given a couple to Ed and the other military officers with him, as long as an escort came back with the horses later.

The agreement was made and Ed, along with three other military officers, took the mounts and had now arrived in Xing. The Elric rubbed some sweat off his forehead and proceeded on removing his black jacket. He supposed he could walk around with his Automail showing, as long as it meant staying in a much cooler black tank top. Pulling the jacket around his neck for the moment, he removed the small baggage from the horse he was riding. He was still part of the military and he had an assignment by a higher-up to bring the package to Xing and drop it off.

The assignment was for him to go to the place with three escorts. He found it suspicious, though, that they didn't let his younger brother tag along. Al went with his older brother everywhere but the higher-up said only the three soldiers he would provide could come. He found it somewhat iffy but dared not ask what may have been the matter. It was a fairly simple assignment and he just wanted to get it over with so he could return to his home in Central along with Al and Winry. He felt bad leaving the two alone, especially now that Al had joined the military as well.

Ed had tried his best to support his little brother when he said he would join. The younger wasn't a State Alchemist but was currently serving as a Second Lieutenant to Roy Mustang. He was still against his only brother being in the military but he always put on his best face for the younger. He was also secretly grateful that the young Elric was a subordinate to Mustang. The Flame Alchemist knew the two of them well and he also knew that Ed would murder him if Al was ever put in danger or if his life was put on the line.

Edward threw the package over his shoulder and looked back to the three military officers who had accompanied him. He hadn't really given much thought on the trio; they were rather quiet on the trip over here and followed any minor orders he gave them. Just as he looked to them, though, they were mumbling something from one to another. One of them saw him staring at them and he quickly slapped the other two on the arms, in a way that said '_shut up!_' Ed found it somewhat odd and he suddenly got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Maybe it was nothing but, then again, maybe it was everything.

He tried his best to ignore it for now.

"C'mon," he called to them and began walking. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can go home," he complained. He distinctly heard the three voices of the men shout 'yes sir!' before he heard some minor rustling and then boots heading his way. He didn't look back but could easily feel their presence behind him. He shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small paper.

Managing to unfold it with one hand, it opened and revealed a smallish map. On it was marked the position Ed had to get to get to. He looked up and back to the map, finding a few landmarks that matched that of the map in his hand. He continued walking, simply following the path he had already chosen. He almost crashed a few times but he soon made a sharp turn left, into an alley between two buildings.

It wasn't long after that he stopped, right in the middle of the alleyway. He looked up and around before his brows furrowed in confusion.

"This can't be it…" he mumbled. "This has to be a mistake, it should be right here," he said, mostly to himself. He looked over his shoulder but was surprised when he didn't see his escorts there. He raised a brow and dropped the package over his shoulder to the ground, letting his jacket fall as well. He looked all over the area and saw no one.

Apprehension was growing within him as he noticed the Sun was extremely close to setting. He looked back to where he had originally entered.

"Officer's, fall back!" he ordered heatedly. Nothing. The feeling from earlier returned; his stomach was growing uncomfortable, as was he. From the opposite direction, he suddenly heard the sound of boots heading his way. He looked over towards the sound and saw one of the officers coming to him.

"Sir!" the man said as he stopped in front of the young man and pulled a quick salute. Ed shrugged, untrustingly.

"Where are the others?" he demanded angrily.

"They've gone ahead, sir. They felt you could find the place yourself but I was sent after you had taken some time," the officer explained.

"According to the map that general gave me, this _is_ the place," Ed replied suspiciously. "And I've just got here."

"That's correct, Major Elric," the military official stated, his voice suddenly turning dark. Ed widened his eyes, somewhat anxiously.

"What do you mean?" he asked in a low, paranoid voice. The officer simply grinned manically at the teen before him. Before Ed could even give it a second thought, a silent gunshot rang out in his ears and a painful pinch was felt in his back. He screamed from the pain and looked over his shoulder to the smallish needle that had struck him. His eyes widened; it looked like tranquilizer ammo.

He turned back to the officer, breathing heavily and glaring.

"What the hell!?" he seethed through gritted teeth. He struggled to stay standing as the fluid was already seeping into every vain in his body, making his muscles go weak. He suddenly felt so tired. Before he could get his answer, he shrugged lowly before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he passed out. The officer caught the teen in an arm and chuckled quietly.

"Good little Alchemist," he mumbled teasingly. He reached over and pulled out the needle from Ed's back. He threw the small arrow on the ground and stomped on it with his foot. The sound of cracking and breaking came before the Military Official let the Elric's limp body fall to the ground.

"Slave Drivers will pay big for you, Fullmetal."

F----------------M----------------A

"What!?" a very pissed off Colonel Roy Mustang screamed a few days later in his office back in Central. The officer before him showed little emotion to the man's outburst. "What do you mean _kidnapped!?_" the higher-ranking officer demanded.

"Sir, a group of military rebels kidnapped him and took him as hostage. They said they would kill him within the next few days," one of the escorts who had taken Ed to Xing explained.

"And you three did nothing to help!? The Fullmetal Alchemist is one of my most skilled Alchemist's, what the _hell!?_" Mustang ordered, pounding his fists onto his desk. The officer hung his head low, as if ashamed.

"They said if we even tried to help, they would kill us as well," he explained. The Colonel growled irately. Such pathetic subordinates he had, who couldn't even risk their lives to try and save another. Why the hell would they join if they didn't prepare to die!?

"Get out of my sight and send Alphonse in," he ordered through gritted teeth as he sat back down and tried to calm himself.

"Yes sir," the other man said and bowed before walking out of the office, closing Mustang's door behind him. The Flame Alchemist couldn't believe it. Edward Elric was kidnapped by rebels and was most likely dead. It sounded improbable but the man that was traveling with the Elric had just told him. Edward could be dead.

"You wanted to see me, sir," a young boy's voice asked as he stepped into the ebony-haired man's office. Mustang looked up to the younger Elric with tired and stressed eyes.

"Come in, Al," he mumbled quietly, bringing his hands under his chin. Alphonse, 17, stepped in, closing the door behind him, and walked up to the man's desk, bowing respectfully as he did.

"What's wrong, Colonel?" he asked curiously. The higher-up sighed into and looked up to the younger. Suddenly, the picture of this poor boy when he finds out that his brother is possibly dead filled his head and he mentally panicked. He couldn't take that; the destruction of ones soul because the death of another. Another picture filled his head; the face of Winry Rockbell with the same sadness in her eyes.

He swallowed a lump in his throat and stood up.

"Alphonse," he said, trying to sound as formal as possible.

"I have an assignment for you."

F----------------M----------------A

It was dark. It was dark and cold. His flesh wrist was in so much pain from being hung like this. It had been like this ever since he had woken up from being tranquilized. He was hung with his arms wide apart.

His chest was bare and he had been in nothing but his black pants and boots. He was tired from standing for so long; three days to be exact. The only light he ever saw was when they came to feed him. Sadly, there was never enough light to see who the hell had done this to him. He had simply resorted to flinging an Automail leg for a while after the stranger's had fed him.

He would then scowl at them but he soon learned that kicking them was a mistake. Defiance always had a cost. After he kicked them, the people would punch him either in the face or in the gut; or both. Either way, it was a cheap shot, seeing as he was restrained. Not that they cared, apparently.

_Cowards, _Ed thought heatedly as he tried to get comfortable within the restraints of his metal shackles. His flesh arm was so tired; he didn't even feel like moving it. It had been three days and he _still _didn't know what the bastards wanted with him. All he knew was that he was trapped. Trapped and there was a slim to no chance of someone saving him.

His fate lay within the hands of his captors. He would either die or live by their hands. Ed had no choice but to play along. He was tied and unable to perform Alchemy. He was stripped of any small articles on his body that he could've used in any way as a tool or weapon; even his pocket watch was confiscated.

He just stood there and waited. He didn't know what to wait for. Freedom? Answers? He just didn't know.

His eyes felt so heavy and tired. He hadn't been able to sleep that well, mainly because of his current position. But he was getting rather annoyed. Hell, he's _been_ annoyed ever since he arrived in Xing. He knew this was all planned and that just ticked him off so badly.

He remembered getting shot with tranquilizer ammo. The moment he passed out, however, was the moment that he couldn't remember anything. He had many questions but, when he asked, he was either punished or ignored. They were treating him like a damn animal. No, he was lower than an animal right now; animals were protected from this kind of abuse by law.

But, then again, so were humans. He sighed and let his eyes close. He couldn't do anything for the moment but stand and wait. Wait for his fate to be chosen.

F----------------M----------------A

**A/N: **Please R&R, constructive criticism, no flames :) thanks! ;) There will be artwork in the future for this particular story that I will post on my DeviantART page if anybody's interested ;)


	2. Number 23

_**Slave Driven**_

**Disclaimer: **I Don't Own _FMA_ In Any Way.

**Rating: **PG-13 and Older Due to Bad Language, Some Sexual Themes and Scenes of Torture.

**A/N: **Wow, I'm _so _happy with the _incredible _feedback I've gotten from only _one _chapter:) I really hope all my readers, reviewers, and people who've alerted enjoy this story! ;) By the way, I want you all to know, don't be surprised if I update a little later than usual; this is my first time trying to balance both drawing artwork for a story while writing the story itself XP Again, I apologize for any late chapters and the inconvenience (If it is one O.o).

F----------------M----------------A

Al walked home later that day, unsure of the assignment Roy had given him. He found it odd that the colonel suddenly wanted him investigating anything in the country of Xing. Supposedly, it was to look into any mysterious disappearances or to find out about any Military Rebel groups. The man had another strange request. He asked that Winry come along with him.

Alphonse had questioned about the unusual appeal. The ebony-haired man seemed to hesitate but replied that he felt bad having Winry alone without neither of her closest friends there as company. Before the young Alchemist could ask any further questions, Roy hurried him out the door and told him to do any other tasks he had for the day. Of course, being the more sensible brother, he listened to his orders and went off. Once he finished, he went back to Mustang's office but the Flame Alchemist told him to go home and get ready.

Again, of course, the young Elric followed the minor command and headed home. He had an iffy feeling in his stomach, as if something about the whole thing seemed wrong. Almost as if the assignment was because of something that had happened to…his brother. Al suddenly held his stomach and clutched it tight. He knew his older brother was out to Xing as well.

Not to mention, Ed had been gone for quite some time. It made him worry and he had noticed the concern in Winry as well. Everyday when Al returned from HQ, he was met with Winry at the door. She knew that he had his own key but _he _knew why she came. She was hoping to see another form behind the younger brother, a slightly taller figure with golden blonde hair and rare eyes of the same color.

To her displeasure, of course, Ed was never behind Al. The blonde mechanic would only be met with the 17-year-old. Not that she wasn't grateful; she loved Al like a brother and didn't want to see the day that he_ wouldn't_ come back. It was hard enough knowing Ed was out there without even his brother for _real_ company instead of some three officer's that were provided by some random general. That was a downside of being a State Alchemist; you had respect but not enough to turn down orders from higher-ups.

The young Alchemist walked up to the home he, Ed, and Winry had been living in ever since they moved to Central. Pulling out his keys, he opened the door and entered his home. When the door opened fully, he saw Winry immediately come to the front door. Al smiled at her before closing the door behind him and locking it. He removed his black jacket and placed it on the coat rack before looking back to Winry. He quickly noted that her eyes had drooped somewhat, making him feel bad for her.

"Winry?" he asked in a soft voice as he walked closer to her.

"It's nothing, Al," the young woman replied before sighing and walking back into the living room. On the sofa was sitting a panting black and white dog. Winry pet the dog, which immediately became happy at her touch and at the sight of Alphonse as well. Al walked up to the dog and petted her as well.

"Hey Den," he said in a sweet voice before looking to Winry again. Winry, of which, sat down next to Den and continued some apparent work she had been doing on the dog's metallic leg. Al sat on the opposite side of the dog and tried his best to smile fondly at Winry. He had to tell her of his assignment, and the fact that she was a part of it as well. Den, on the other hand, looked between the two blondes, unsure of who to look to.

"Winry," Al began as he scratched Den behind the ear. "I got an assignment today," he stated. Winry's eyes widened and she immediately stopped her work. She shot her head towards him and was glaring slightly.

"What _assignment!?_" she demanded, holding up her ever-trusty wrench. Al pulled his arms in front of him defensively and smiled edgily as his right eye twitched.

"J-just an assignment from Roy, I swear! And, besides, h-he re-requested that y-you come with me!" he replied in a nervous tone of voice. "I have to go to Xing and investigate some stuff," he explained. Wiry lowered her tool and gave her friend a curious look. Why would Mustang want her to come along on one of Al's missions? She supposed she should be grateful; she knew Ed was in Xing and, maybe, they could meet him there.

She smiled slightly.

"OK," she replied contently. Al lost his tension and sighed. It was then that he remembered something else. If they were heading to Xing then it was possible that they would see Ling, Ran Fan and Mei. Unless the trio were still roaming around Central or someplace, but that was improbable.

After the great ordeal of Ed and Al's quest, everything seemed to calm down greatly. Ling had paid for an Automail arm for Ran Fan, the arm, of which, was provided by Winry. After that, the two Elric's and Rockbell had not seen or heard of the three. Al was somewhat sad because of this; he hadn't seen Mei and her small pet panda, Xiaomei, in a while. Edward, on the other hand, seemed _extremely_ happy to have not seen them.

"Rather have him who-knows-where than having him near Winry and asking for her hand in marriage," he once recalled his older brother saying in an irate voice when Winry had not been around and the subject was somehow brought up. Al sniggered quietly to himself at the thought; his brother being so jealous of even the _possibility_ of Winry marrying another man. He always had a feeling that his brother and Winry had feelings for each other; they were just too stubborn and full of pride to be able to admit it. He supposed there really wasn't a whole lot he could about it.

Nevertheless, he turned back to Winry.

"You have to get ready soon, then. I want to get going as soon as possible; maybe we can catch up with Brother if we do," he told her with a smile on his face. Winry smiled back and quickly finished up her work with Den.

"I'll call Shiezka to see if she can take care of Den while we're gone," she said as she stood up and patted her leg gently, indicating to Den to step off the sofa. The dog obediently listened to the hand signal and hopped off the couch and onto the floor. "How light should I pack?" she asked as she began walking to the kitchen in the back of the living room. Before entering, she waited for her answer. Al thought for a moment, considering the distance and way of transport.

"As light as possible," he stated as he stood up as well and headed towards the stairs as the opposite end of the room. Winry smiled and winked playfully. Al grinned and the two went their ways to begin preparation on their trip.

F----------------M----------------A

Edward sighed quietly in the dark, cold room he was being held hostage in. He still had some minor strength in him but, aside from that, his entire body felt sore and slightly numb. His flesh arm trembled from being hung for so long and his leg just wanted to give in. He had lost much feeling in his flesh limbs but his metal parts were in trouble as well. The Elric could literally feel his very nerves tiring out; some were sore and some were half numb.

His head was hung low; he was too weak to really care. Sadly, this also added tension to his shoulders and neck. If and when he would move his head back up, he should expect some serious pain and cracking to take place. Quite frankly, Ed just didn't care. He felt so helpless, pathetic, and vulnerable. He hated those feelings; people looked at him differently when those feelings showed.

He had been sticking to his guns for as long as he could. But, suddenly, there was that annoying little voice in the back of his head that was telling him to just give up; give up and just take everything as it comes. He refused to listen to that voice; it sounded too much like himself and he wasn't about to admit that he was such a pathetic person to be able to give up. He just kept telling himself to stay as determined as possible and fight back. Just play along until an opportunity opened up.

He shrugged lowly, his golden bangs creating a shadow over his eyes. Suddenly, the entrance opened. Ed flinched from the sudden light but didn't move his head up. He figured whoever it was just wanted to check up on him or feed him something.

_Or use me as a punching bag, _he thought irately and huffed out a silent breath. He could hear some shoes stepping in his direction. It didn't surprise him so he stayed still and simply waited for whatever to happen. He supposed he was low enough in life and wasn't in any position to protest. Soon, he could see a pair of black pant-covered legs with black shoes in front of him along with the legs of another person wearing jeans and brown shoes.

He forced himself to resist the urge to look up; he knew how badly his neck would crack if he did. Sadly, however, whoever was standing in front of him with the black pants didn't know or probably didn't care about the Elric's current condition. The person put his hand under Ed's chin and forced him to look up. This, of course, caused his neck to crack loudly; it both relieved and pained Edward as he let out a minor scream. He glared towards the person, his eyes burning with rage.

The person turned out to be a young man, only a few years older than Edward himself or Ed's own age, he seemed. He had dark, crimson hair that reached just above his shoulder and that came, slightly, in front of his left eye. His eyes, of which, were a deep emerald. His upper body was covered in a white, somewhat loose-fitting, t-shirt in white. The crimson-haired young man made Ed's head turn from one side to another, almost as if he was inspecting the Alchemist's facial structure.

Making him look back, the young man looked straight into Ed's golden eyes. Edward was searching the green eyes before him; he mostly saw curiosity.

"Hmm," the green-eyed young man hummed, letting go of Ed's face and beginning to circle around him. Ed was immediately on the alert; his eyes stayed on the crimson-haired man as he continued visually inspecting his body. The blonde Elric began to feel slightly sensitive about himself.

_What the hell's this guy _**doing!? **He asked himself curiously as he changed his eyes from looking over his right shoulder to his opposite side, making sure to stay on the person. Soon, the young man had completely circled Ed and was, once again, standing in front of him. He hummed silently before smiling.

"I rather like this one," he said in a not-too-deep voice. "He certainly looks strong enough to do any manual labor," he stated. "Much healthier-looking than the other's you've shown me." This all definitely sparked Ed's interest.

_Other's he's shown him? What's that supposed to mean? _He pondered over the question, unsure of what the answer could be. The young man grabbed Ed by his lower jaw once more and stared into his eyes.

"He looks like he'd be fun to mess with…I'm sure he won't mind being experimented on every so often." Ed's eyes widened the moment the words escaped the young man's lips. He was pissed now. The little strength he had in him suddenly grew about ten times. Ed pulled his head away from the young man's grip and he tried to bite his hand; hell, it was the only defense he had at this point.

Sadly, the crimson-haired boy pulled his hand away too fast. Ed took a step forward but didn't get too far, sadly due to his restraints. Nevertheless, that didn't stop his glare from intensifying or his eyebrows from tensing greatly. He began breathing heavily but irately, his nostrils flaring with each breath. The green-eyed man before him was slightly surprised but he grinned at him.

"Feisty one, aren't you?" he asked playfully. He swore he heard Ed growl at him lowly as his teeth grit tight. The young man widened his eyes at the aggression this one had. None of the other's he had seen today had been so rebellious. That made him much more interested in this one.

He grinned and steeped closer to Edward before, harshly, grabbing him by his lower jaw once more. Ed looked at him with angry eyes and his breath grew heavier. The young man searched Ed's golden eyes; he saw determination, anger, and defiance. This one would be difficult to take care of. This only intrigued him further.

"Anything I should know about him?" he asked. The other man who had brought him to this room looked up before replying.

"He can perform Alchemy by simply clapping his hands together. That's mainly the reason he's restrained the way he is. Also, as you can see, he has two Automail limbs," the man explained.

"Two?" the crimson-haired young man asked as he pulled his hand away from Ed's face and looked over his shoulder to the other man.

"Yes, his left leg," the jean-wearing man explained as he put a hand on his hip. The young man turned back to Ed and looked him in the eye before looking down to his left leg. He knelt down before him; Ed kept his eyes alert.

"Aden, sir," the other man said suddenly. The crimson-haired man looked back at him. Ed's eyes widened slightly; apparently, his name was Aden. "I don't think you should be,"—don't worry," Aden cut the man off and turned back to the Elric's leg.

"I just want to see it," he stated as he reached his hands towards the bottom of Ed's left leg. He pulled up the pant leg as far as he could, which was up to Ed's knee. He saw his reflection looking back at him in shining metal limb and he smiled. He dared to place his right hand on the metallic leg, feeling the cold metal upon his palm. This only irritated Ed; no one touched Automail, only Winry.

Fiercely, he pulled back his Automail leg and kicked Aden right in the face, causing him to fall on his back on the floor. Aden sat up and pulled a hand to his now-sore lower jaw as he looked up to the rebellious blonde before him and glared, snarling. Ed huffed out a breath and snarled back.

"Aden, you alright?" the other man asked as he knelt down next to the young man, trying to aid him. Aden ignored him and growled as he stood to his feet and walked up to Ed once more. This time, he grabbed the teen by his neck and held him tightly with his left hand. Ed struggled to breathe as he stared into Aden's emerald eyes.

"You listen to me, slave," he muttered angrily. Ed's eyes widened at his words.

_Slave? _He asked himself. _That's what he must've meant by 'other ones',_ he thought.

"You will be working under my household. Defiance is a sin, boy, and I suggest you take that into consideration. Any more of those little tricks and…" he trailed off and grinned maniacally at the Elric. Ed's eyes became wide and he himself became slightly apprehensive. Aden pulled back his free hand and punched the Alchemist in the very center of his stomach, knocking out all the air that was left in Edward.

The Elric's eyes widened like saucers and the black part of them grew smaller than the diameter of a needle. He struggled to get any breath in his lungs as Aden was still holding his neck, preventing him any access to the oxygen around him. Aden looked at the teen from the corner of his eye.

"Or worse," he finished his original sentence. "Is that understood?" he asked in a low, serious voice. Ed nodded weakly and, finally, Aden set free of his neck and the blonde tried to get as much oxygen in his lungs as humanly possible. Aden walked up to the other man and smiled, as if he hadn't just threatened the Elric at all.

"I will be picking him up by tomorrow morning. What's his tag?" he asked. The man hummed for a moment, apparently trying to remember. He accepted the fact that he had forgotten it and walked up to exit of the room. He grabbed something that was hung outside next to the door and walked back in, walking up to Aden.

Handing the choker-style neck ornament to Aden, the man shrugged slightly; he seemed somewhat nervous about Aden taking Edward as a slave. The crimson-haired young man smirked and chuckled once.

"Number 23."

F----------------M----------------A

**A/N: **Whoa, glad I finally got this up :) took me a while but, meh; I was having some issues with thinking of what to happen with it XP anyway, please R&R, constructive criticism, no flames ;) thanks! Again, if I update kind of late, please forgive it. I'm trying to balance both drawing and writing for this story. Speaking of which, A character sheet for Aden will be posted on my DeviantART in the next few days, hopefully :) as will the design for Slave!Ed. And, if anybody's read chapter 74 of the FMA manga, you'll notice that Hoenheim's tag number is also 23; this is done on purpose :)


	3. Stay Positive

_**Slave Driven**_

**Disclaimer: **I Don't Own _FMA_ In Any Way.

**Rating: **PG-13 and Older Due to Bad Language, Some Sexual Themes and Scenes of Torture.

**A/N: **Thanks for all the reviews, guys! ;) I'm glad you're all enjoying the story so far! By the way, this story's rating will change from 'Teen' to 'Mature,' due to some scenes in the future.

F----------------M----------------A

Al and Winry had soon packed a slightly as they could. Afterwards, they waited for Shiezka to arrive so Winry could tell her about when to feed Den and how to take care of her. Den was a simple dog but still needed love and an occasional playmate. Winry thanked her friend many times before, finally, she and Al set out for Xing. They knew the trip would be rather long but the prize would, hopefully, be worth it.

F----------------M----------------A

The next day, Ed felt would finally be when his opportunity for escape would open. He waited in the room he was hung in; waiting for Aden to come and pick him up along with some escorts, he should suspect. Soon, the door opened and Ed looked up. He saw four silhouettes; one of them was undeniably Aden. This only made Ed glare slightly as he waited for them all to enter.

Eventually, the four entered; Aden was smirking at the blonde while the other two came up to Ed and prepared him. One of them came behind him and put his choker around his neck. It was made of a simple black leather-like material while, in the front in the center, was a small, silver coin with the number '23' engraved on the front and Ed's full name on the back in similar text. He looked up to; the red-haired young man, who was still holding the smirk on his features. Ed could only glare.

_The moment my arms are set free, _he thought heatedly. _Will be the moment I escape…the only thing in my way is this asshole, _he was, of course, referring to the green-eyed Aden before him. Aden looked to the three men surrounding Edward. With a nod of his head, the three began getting ready to set let go of Ed's restraints. During this time, Ed and Aden seemed intent on having a silent staring contest between themselves, silently cursing each other out with their gazes.

It was then, finally, that the men at Ed's sides set his arms free. The Alchemist's limbs fell to his sides; the teen felt a great relief from the pressure that had grown at his shoulder and arm over the past few days. The feeling was even returning to his nerves and Ed wanted so badly to fall to his knees and rest his whole body. He knew he couldn't, however; now was his opportunity to finally fight back and escape. Escape from the hell he had been enduring.

Rapidly and suddenly, he elbowed the man to his left and swiftly kicked the man to his right. He ducked a punch from the man who had been behind him before he launched himself up, an Automail fist straight towards the man's stomach. Once the air was knocked out completely from the man, Edward turned on a heel and headed towards a somewhat panicky Aden. Ed grinned before puling back his Automail leg and kicking the man back onto the floor. Finally, Ed began running out of the room; he was met with a well-lit hallway.

The blonde looked both ways, unsure of which way to go. He closed his eyes for only a moment before making a split-decision; he reopened his eyes and chose to go right. From what he could see, the hallway was very long, meaning he would have to try and run as fast as his legs could carry him, in order to get away from any tricks Aden may have up his sleeve. As much as he wanted to give in, as much as his leg was telling him to fall, as much as that annoying little voice in the back of his head told him to give up; he ignored it all and refused. He wouldn't go down so easily.

Sadly, Aden had other plans. Meanwhile, he sat up and looked to the three men who had escorted him and glared.

"What are you waiting for!?" he demanded as he stood up finally and pulled out a pistol from his pocket. "Don't let him get away!" he sprinted out of the room and out into the hallway. The three other officials quickly recovered and pulled out pistols of their own, looking remarkably similar to the one Aden carried. The emerald-eyed young man, of which, looked both ways and grinned cynically when he saw the blonde Elric to his right. He pulled up the gun and aimed.

"Nighty night," he muttered playfully before pulling the trigger.

_Shit, _Ed had thought the moment he heard the gunshot and felt a pain in his back. Like the first time, he looked over his shoulder and could see a small tranquilizer needle stuck in his back. Everything in his body began to grow heavy and tired; weaker than it already was. He wrapped his Automail fingers around the Godforsaken needle and pulled it, sending another pang of hurt in the area of infliction. He looked at the needle before dropping it to the ground and trying to keep going.

It was too late, sadly; the small amount that was running through his veins was enough to take down a horse. Ed's eyes drooped as he realized how badly things had suddenly turned. He wanted to run; run forever and never look back. But, sadly, his body was slowly giving in to the fluid. He used the wall for support but it was no help before he took one last step before, finally, falling to his knees. Then, he let the rest of him collapse on the ground.

His eyes wanted to close so badly. Just so he could get the rest he so desperately needed and desired. Finally, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and his body shut down completely, leaving him to black out. Aden and the others were immediately running towards his body. Aden knelt down next to him and grinned.

"You could've played nice," he said mockingly. "But you just had to throw the first hit." He shook his head, as if ashamed by the Alchemist's actions. Nevertheless, he stood up once more and looked to the others. "Pick him up," he ordered.

"It's time to take home my newest lab rat."

F----------------M----------------A

The two blondes were becoming tired. This trip had become exasperatingly long. Al grabbed his canteen and drank some water, just to keep himself hydrated. They would reach the Xerxes ruins soon; hopefully they could puck up some horses or mounts in general there. He looked over his shoulder to Winry. He smirked at her; she was quite the fighter.

The Rockbell looked tired but she also determined and strong. She wouldn't let the heat get to her, not now when they were almost halfway there. He figured that if she could go halfway without passing out, she could make it the whole way. He looked forward once more and looked up into the sky as he continued walking. He was suddenly reminded of his brother for some reason.

He missed his older sibling; he hadn't seen him for many days and the worry was building, in him and Winry both. They had never learned of the older Elric's mission, therefore they did not know if it would take him so long. But, still, even then, Ed was a fast worker; his motto when it came to missions was 'the faster I get it over with, the better.' Al knew that he just wanted to be with his small family and take care of them as best he could. Winry and he were all Ed really had, meaning he'd fight through the fiery depths of hell to protect them.

Knowing that Ed had taken so long with _one_ field mission seemed very unlike him. Even when he was younger, Ed was extremely ambitious. He was always talking about he_ needed_ to get their bodies back as soon as possible. It was rather ironic; however, that he had stayed with his two Automail limbs but still seemed content. Either way, the point was that Ed finished business fast. Small-talk was not an option and was a leisure Ed never wanted nor couldn't afford; it was always straight to the point with him.

Winry followed the younger Elric before her. This trip was far more than anyone would bargain for but she figured it had to be over with sooner or later. Besides, she was too concentrated on seeing Ed rather than the pain shooting through her legs. She just wanted to make sure he was OK, to see him smiling and saying that his mission had just taken a little longer than he would have liked. But, then again, there were always those negative thoughts on her mind; the thoughts that would never escape the possibility pile.

Just about anything could have happened to Ed. He would be a great target to anyone who hated Alchemists, the military or just plain both. Quite frankly, he would be a target for either, seeing as he was the great Fullmetal Alchemist; a part of the state and part of the population of Alchemists. She knew her friend was strong enough to take care of himself but she also knew he had his weaknesses and limits. She couldn't blame him for this, of course; _everyone_ had strengths and weaknesses.

But, even then, she couldn't help but worry. It was in her nature, she supposed, to be concerned over a friend she had known for as long as she could remember. There was, of course that other reason but she wouldn't dare bring that into the mix. It was plain and simple; she was just bothered about Ed's well-being possibly being at stake and she wasn't willing to lose him. She had almost lost him in more than one occasion and didn't wish to relive those feelings.

Feelings, of which, being apprehension that he may actually die or be dead; that he may be struggling for breath while someone mistreats him more than he needs. That he may not even_ be_ breathing, for that matter. A cold and merciless shiver shot down her spine at the thought, even though it was hotter than a sauna around her. She forced herself to try and stay positive; Ed was probably in a bedroom, happy and content that he'll be returning home soon to her and Al's smiling faces.

Staying positive was important when it came to a subject as rough as Ed. Knowing he was in a foreign country without his younger sibling made staying positive a very difficult thing to do. But positive things came to those who stayed positive. So, for now, that was all she could do; hope he was OK and stay positive.

F----------------M----------------A

**A/N: **Please R&R, constructive criticism, no flames ;) thanks!


	4. Where and What

_**Slave Driven**_

**Disclaimer: **I Don't Own _FMA_ In Any Way.

**Rating: **PG-13 and Older Due to Bad Language, Some Sexual Themes and Scenes of Torture.

**A/N: **Hope you guys like…

**WARNING: **There are some spoilers to the manga in there.

F----------------M----------------A

Ed shrugged lowly as his eyes struggled to crack open. They stung slightly from the sudden light that wanted to burn his sensitive eyes so badly before he shut them closed once more, letting himself get accustomed to the light. He sat up and pulled an Automail hand to his somewhat sore forehead. Reopening his eyes, he was surprised at the area surrounding him.

He was sitting on a fairly big bed; it was soft and cushiony with several pillows at the head of the bed and a decorated comforter in a dark, greenish color with sewn-in designs. Next to the bed was a dresser that matched well with the atmosphere, being made of a dark wood with black handles. There was a window on the wall perpendicular to the dresser's position that seemed somewhat out of place. It was fairly wide, being around three feet wide and four feet long, with curtains matching that comforter on the bed. What made it seem out of place, however, were the dark, steel, slightly rusted bars on the outside.

"Good to see you awake, 23," Ed suddenly heard a familiar voice from behind as his eyes widened and he looked over his shoulder. There, sitting on the opposite edge of the bed, was the crimson-haired Aden, his arms crossed and eyes closed with a small smirk playing on his lips; a leg was also crossed over the other. "I was beginning to worry that the tranquilizer I used on you may have been too much," Aden continued as his eyes opened, finally and he looked to Ed, only moving his eyes. Edward shrugged irately and glared slightly. Aden's facial expression didn't change.

"By the way," Aden said playfully. "I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty of 'borrowing' this from you." He paused as he stretched out his right arm, his hand in a fist. Within the clutches of his fist, however, hung Edward's silver State Alchemist pocket watch; this caused Ed's eyes to widen and himself to gasp silently. "I hope you don't mind," Aden perked up suddenly with a slightly maniacal tone to his voice.

Ed growled lowly before shooting his arm out, trying to snatch the object away. Sadly, Aden pulled the watch away too quickly and Ed missed. He chuckled lowly before standing up before Ed and stuffing the watch in his pocket.

_Damn!_ The blonde Alchemist thought heatedly before looking up to Aden from where he sat on the bed. The emerald-eyed young man was till smirking as he looked down to the blonde, locking a hip to one side and placing a hand on said hip.

"Take a good look around, 23," Aden told him. Edward widened his eyes curiously before crossing his legs and looking around the room. He once again took notice of the elegant style of the room before looking back to the man who had tranquilized him. "This is how you will be living," Aden clarified. "That is, of course, if you behave."

Ed gave him an odd look; what could he mean by that?

"By that, I mean that you _won't_ try and escape. You will treat me with respect and follow any orders given by me. With that comes your own treatment. If you follow my household's rules, you will be treated fairly well. I can't tell you how many issues I've had with defiant slaves in the past," he explained plainly.

That last phrase undoubtedly sparked a match in Ed's mind. He was finally realizing what was happening. Aden was calling him by number because that was his tag, and name. He was a slave; therefore he had neither right to his own name nor any rights in general. He had to follow orders and take whatever came at him.

_That's impossible, _he thought, almost unbelieving. _Slavery ended _**ages** _ago!_ He didn't want to believe what was happening but then he remembered he was in a foreign country. _But Xing doesn't have slaves…where the hell am I?_ He didn't know what to think anymore.

As far as he was concerned, countries to the east had ended slavery a long time ago, as did everywhere else. Unless it was a country he hadn't yet heard about. That may have been the case; he only did research on places if he needed to get there for whatever reason. That or he would discover the places beliefs when he arrived there. This would have to be one of those times.

He looked up to Aden, awaiting an explanation. The red-haired young man, of which, was glaring slightly. It was now that Ed realized that Aden didn't look like he was particularly foreign. He actually looked fairly average, actually. He stayed silent, nevertheless, and continued waiting.

"Misbehave, however," Aden continued suddenly. "And the consequences will get worse with each time you defy me. Don't think I won't be willing to hurt you if push comes to shove. On the contrary; torture is one of my favorite methods of putting slaves in their place." Ed's eyes widened once again at this.

He knew now that he would have to be careful. He would try to escape, of course, but he needed to be certain that he could succeed. Torture didn't seem like something he'd particularly enjoy; he already had enough battle scars as it was.

"Is that clear, 23?" Aden asked suddenly, gazing at the Elric intently. Ed shrugged lowly before nodding once. The redhead before him raised a curious brow. "You know," he said, intrigue showing in his voice. "You have not yet said a word to me. I don't know what your voice sounds like…do you not speak? Don't you have any questions or protests?" he questioned, wondering if he had gotten more than he bargained for.

The blonde Alchemist shrugged lowly and irately. If he had not, for so long, given this man the opportunity to hear his voice, he didn't want to give him the benefit now. It was in his nature to follow through with something if he had gone so long with it. Sadly, however, he had a few questions. He started with one as he looked up into Aden's emerald eyes determinedly.

"Where am I?"

F----------------M----------------A

As Al had thankfully predicted, him and Winry were able to pick up some horses at the Xerxes ruins, credited to some archeologists who were there. They archeologists, of which, said they could have the mounts for as long as they needed; they had enough for everyone and people could easily pair up with others and ride with them if anything. Both Al and Winry were grateful for this; they could have something to ride on when they reached Xing. Not only that, but their bags were beginning to take their tolls on the backs and shoulders of the two blondes.

Al was currently leading while Winry was only a few feet behind, following. The younger Elric looked over his shoulder to her before slowing down and waiting for her to come to his side. When she did, he gently heeled the horse, indicating it continue walking. The area around them wasn't very windy at this point and Al felt that he should, and could, talk to Winry a little; he could sense the pain in her and wanted to help as best he could. He looked to her with gentle golden eyes.

"Winry?" he asked softly. The Rockbell looked up to him and smiled slightly.

"What is it, Al?" she asked back.

"Winry…I'm kind of worried…" Al stated anxiously. The mechanic at his side gave him an odd look.

"Worried? About your brother?" she asked. That was the only reason she could imagine he'd be concerned, seeing as she was troubled for the same reason.

"Well…_that_ and…you," Al replied silently as he looked ahead, only to avoid Winry's gaze.

"Me?" the Rockbell asked, surprised. "Why, Al? You shouldn't be worried about me," she told him, trying to comfort the younger. Sadly, it only caused the younger, blonde, Alchemist to sigh before looking to his friend once more.

"Winry, I can sense that you're worried about Nii-San's (?) current position, too. I just want to know what you think…" Alphonse told her nervously. The Automail tech shrugged before looking ahead with sad eyes before hanging her head somewhat.

"Yes, I _am_ worried about him, Al…I'm worried about what may be going on and how he's being treated. I don't want to see him with any more scars…" Winry said softly and sadly. Al's eyes drooped along with hers.

"Winry," he mumbled. "I have to tell you…when Mustang gave me this assignment; I had gotten a weird feeling in my stomach…like something just wasn't right. I know we probably shouldn't assume upon a strange feeling but still...that feeling is still there and it's making me worry," he explained to her edgily. Winry's eyes widened; Al had just given her reason to believe that Ed was in trouble. For a while now, she had suspected that Ed and Al were interconnected somehow. By that, she suspected that, if Ed was in pain or trouble, Al would feel either the same pain or get an odd feeling.

One example of this had happened just a few weeks before Ed had gone on his trip to Xing. It had been raining in Central and, of course, Ed's nerves and muscles of his Automail were aching slightly. She suspected what she did because, when she talked to Al, he also had some pain in his right arm and left leg. There had also been a few events in the past that had led her to believe that Al could sense when his older brother was in some sort of dilemma. She had a feeling that Ed also shared this ability but it didn't show as much as Al's feelings.

She became stern and looked to Al firmly.

"We have to get there and see where he is," she said in a strict voice while her facial expression was very serious. Al flashed her a confused look.

"Winry, I just told you; we shouldn't make any kind of assumption just because of a weird feeling. I'm sure you probably get the same feeling, as do many people. It's probably just me overreacting," he explained to her. The mechanic shrugged to herself before looking ahead determinedly. The young Alchemist was generally right.

When Ed had first gotten his order to go to Xing, Winry had gotten a bad feeling in her stomach. As she did many other times that he had to do something that seemed dangerous. But, still; what if Ed and Al_ were_ connected someway? What if Al could sense his brother's pain and not even know that he had that ability? Then again, maybe it was all a big coincidence.

For some reason, Winry just couldn't seem to accept that. She and Al continued on their ride to Xing in silence. They would be arriving soon, thankfully, and they wanted to keep all negative thoughts away. They didn't want to believe in the possibility that Ed's health may be on the line.

F----------------M----------------A

**(?) Nii-San: **This is Japanese for 'brother' and will be what I would like Al to say when referencing his brother or saying 'brother.' This is a recent decision and I will try my best to use it and remember it in the future, seeing as I might forget XP

**A/N: **Sorry for the short chapters, guys XP please hang in there; they should get longer soon. Anyway, please R&R, constructive criticism, no flames :) thanks!


	5. Royal Treatment

_**Slave Driven**_

**Disclaimer: **I Don't Own _FMA_ In Any Way.

**Rating: **PG-13 and Older Due to Bad Language, Some Sexual Themes and Scenes of Torture.

**A/N: **I apologize for the _great _delay on this! Internet has been down so I haven't been able to do much, not even update my DeviantART XP please accept this apology and I hope you enjoy, nevertheless.

**WARNING: **Guys, face it; after this chapter, this story will officially be mangaverse so if you don't like spoilers, I suggest you don't read. I apologize to anyone who was getting into it but I don't want to get any complaints about me putting in a spoiler without a warning. The past chapters have had spoilers and, trust me, there are most likely more to come.

F----------------M----------------A

"Why, 23," Aden began replying as his face lit up with amusement. "You're in the eastern country of Xerisa! Only being slightly north from the country of Xing," he said in a tone that made Ed raise a brow at him.

"You seem happy to just _live_ here," the Elric muttered in a curious voice.

"Well why wouldn't I be?" Aden asked as he placed a hand on his hip brought the other to his chest, smiling devilishly towards Ed. "It's the only country that hasn't yet given up on slavery. For scientists, such as myself, this country is the biggest virtue out there." Ed's eyes widened, intrigued; this young man was a scientist? "In cities like Central, it's hard to find willing test subjects," Aden continued.

"Out here, however, you pay a smallish fee and you get yourself a slave, willing or not. Like yourself, for example; you're a State Alchemist, according to this watch, are you not? And not just any State Alchemist; the Great Child Prodigy, _Fullmetal_ Alchemist, Edward Elric," he smiled playfully at the Alchemist as Ed himself widened his eyes further.

"You know…my real name?" Edward asked, surprised.

"But of course," Aden replied immediately. "Although I didn't show it when I first saw you, I knew very well who you were. Those golden eyes and hair gave it away. Face it, Edward; you're a sitting duck in a flock of walking geese," the redhead said plainly as he sat down once more. Ed shrugged irately.

"And, to confirm my assumption," the green-eyed young man said before reaching over to Ed's chin and lifting his head up. He carefully grabbed the Elric's tag in his fingers. The Elric Alchemist groaned heatedly. "The back of your tag states your full name. So, unless there's a mistake, you're number 23 and your name is Edward Elric," he let go of Ed's silver coin tag and pulled his arm back.

Ed lowered his head once more before reaching his flesh fingers up to his neck to properly investigate the choker around his neck. It was definitely there and the small tag was also there in the very center of his neck. He ran his fingers over the metal and could feel the engraved numbers and letters on both sides.

"So," Ed began quietly as he looked back up to Aden. "Unless I'm mistaken, I'm a slave now…" he said firmly.

"That's correct," the crimson-haired scientist clarified. "So let's get one thing straight; you and I can either be the best of friends or I can be your worst enemy, Edward," his voice became serious and stern. "It's your pick." The two stared into each others eyes, trying to read the other's expression. After a few moments, Ed finally responded.

"Understood…master," he forced the word out of his mouth and it burned his tongue. "But, may I ask another question?" he requested. Aden nodded once. Ed sighed quietly before looking away for a moment and then looking back to him. "What is _your_ full name?" he questioned.

Aden smiled at the Elric Alchemist.

"Glad you asked, 23," he said playfully. "My full name," he began.

"Is Aden Valince."

F----------------M----------------A

Smiles were on the faces of the two blondes as they finally rode into the country of Xing. The Sun was about ready to set, yes, but they arrived after much heat from the dessert. Their main, and only, concern now was to find a place to rest for their stay. They rode their mounts deeper into town, hoping to find some place to stay.

"Miss Rockbell?" Al and Winry both widened their eyes at the sound of this slightly familiar voice. They made the horses they were riding stop moving as the looked up, to where the voice was coming from. At the rooftop of one of the buildings to their left side was a silhouette of a young male. The male, of which, jumped down from the building, expertly using other buildings to his sides to jump off from and land on the ground next to Winry and Al. The two blondes widened their eyes; they had not seen this young man for a long time.

He had dark, ebony hair with one-sided bangs that hung over, slightly, the left side of his face. He had thin slits for eyes and was wearing loose clothes. His shirt was long-sleeved and yellow with small, white designs at the end of the sleeves, around the neckline and at the bottom hem. Across his chest was a sash, undoubtedly carrying a sword on his back. His pants were white and he was wearing black slip-on shoes. This was, unmistakably, Ling, the Xingian prince.

"Mr. Elric? What are you two doing here?" the prince asked, placing a hand on his hip and cocking his head to one side, awaiting the answer. Al and Winry smiled at their friend.

"Hey Ling," the younger Elric said cheerfully. "We're here on military business," he explained.

"Military business?" Ling asked, still slightly confused. He looked to the ground before shaking his head. "What are you looking for _this_ time?" he questioned. Al laughed in spite of what the prince was implying.

"I'll explain later," he said. "Until then, Ling, can you point us in the direction of the closest place we can stay? We didn't really plan on that part," the younger Elric asked while smiling gently. Ling smiled brightly and his eyes came up cheerily, looking like small, rounded triangles with missing bottoms.

"I know the perfect place," he said joyfully. "Just as long as you don't mind sleeping in the extra bedrooms," the thin-eyed young man said, his gleeful face retuning to a simple smile. The Elric and Rockbell smiled at each other before looking back to the prince.

"Of course not," Al replied. "Bedrooms are much better than what we were expecting!"

"In that case," Ling perked up once more as he stepped in front of the horses carrying the two blondes. "Follow me," he smiled one last time over his shoulder before he began walking. Winry and Al gently heeled their mounts and the two, slowly, began walking, following the young prince from behind.

F----------------M----------------A

Soon, the trio had arrived at place Ling said Winry and Al could stay at. When they arrived there, however, the Rockbell mechanic and young Elric Alchemist were shocked that they were standing before a large palace. It had large rooftops; some were flat with small animals in powerful poses decorating the corners while others were more pointed with more animals decorating the corners. It was a soft, grayish color while the pointed rooftops were of darker beige. The animals accenting the tops and corners of extruding balconies were made of stone while others were clad in gold. The palace itself was also accented with designs engraved on the walls of swift waves and strong-looking creatures such as tigers or even dragons.

Al and Winry's eyes were smallish as their jaws were agape and their right brows were, simultaneously, twitching while looking up towards the large and extravagant building. Ling was simply smiling towards his home before looking back to his friends, his smile fading.

"Do you not like it?" he asked curiously. Al and Winry forced their gazes away from the palace and down towards Ling.

"Yes, of course we like it!" Winry replied immediately. "It's…just not what we were expecting," she explained anxiously. The Xingian prince smiled brightly, once again, at them.

"Did you expect me to abandon my friends so easily?" he asked playfully. "I insist that you stay in my home, as favor, yes?" he brought both hands to his hips before walking in between the two horses that stood beside each other. He grabbed Al's baggage off the back of the mount before getting Winry's as well. He stepped back and carefully placed his guests' luggage on the ground to his sides.

"Please," his voice began once more. "Come off your horses; I'll send some servants to take them to the stables as soon as possible." Of course, the two blondes listened before carefully stepping off their mounts and walking up to Ling, grabbing their baggage as they did. The prince continually smiled before turning on a heel and walking towards the entrance of his beautiful home. Winry and Al followed close behind; it was a large palace and was possible to get lost easily.

Once inside, the two friends were further blown away. Marble flooring with similar patterns of the outside walls could be seen and lovely silk flags of many colors could be seen hanging from the walls. Although they were each of different colors, they each held a different emblem on them. One, for example, was a bright red with a golden design of an eagle and lion, both apparently trying to fight at each other. It seemed to symbolize difference in strength yet equality in each creature's determination to survive.

"These flags," Ling said suddenly. "They were the symbols of past ancestors who once lived here before my generation. Some even belong to my parents and much elder siblings," he explained. Winry and Al smiled, slightly surprised to know that. Ling continued walking and the Automail tech and young Alchemist followed.

Stepping up the large staircases that led upstairs, Ling continued walking forward, walking into a long hallway.

"This hallway is where the younger siblings of mine sleep," the prince explained. "From youngest to eldest; this would be me. The next hallway to the east wing is where my elder siblings reside. The west wing is for the very youngest and my parents. Each hallway, however, has extra bedrooms to the back. I apologize for the great walk you'll have to make to get in and out of this hallway," he said as he looked over his shoulder and smiled somewhat nervously.

Al and Winry smiled happily at him.

"It's no problem," Al said kindly. "As long as we have a place to rest." This caused a happier smile to appear on Ling's face as he looked ahead once more and continued walking. As the three walked down the long hallway, they passed by several bedrooms, each either closed off with a beautifully ornamented wooden door or slightly cracked open doors that could allow anyone passing by to see into stunning rooms with many silk rugs and or beds. Each had a color scheme of its own, undoubtedly chosen to the likings of the ones residing within the room.

As they past by the sixth or seventh room, a head popped out from one of the closed doors. Al, Winry, nor Ling heard it so they continued. The head, of which, was of a young girl with long, black hair and wide, dark eyes of the same color. Her hair was up in two buns to each side of her head while, trailing down from the buns, were long braids, each tied off with a different colored band. She was dressed, currently, in a pink robe that tied around her waist with other purple and light blue robes. On her shoulder was a small panda, imitating her every facial expression.

She carefully peered her head out of her door; she had heard the voice of her older brother and was curious as to who he may have been talking to. Carefully, she stepped out of her room completely and followed. She could see three forms ahead; from the back, she could tell one of them was Ling. She continued, silently, following and awaiting the answers she felt she would get soon. Suddenly, they stopped and she too halted.

"This will be your room, Alphonse," Ling stated and the young girl's eyes lit up happily.

"Alphonse-Sama!?" she cried out happily. The trio heard her happy voice and looked over to the young girl. Ling immediately recognized his younger sister, Mei, and her pet panda, Xiaomei, and he smiled. Winry and Al turned around to see who had been following. Mei could have fainted for, in her mind, Al seemed to go at slow-motion and his smile was sweet and even charming.

Mei swooned, as did Xiaomei, following her actions. The younger Xingian sibling of Ling quickly recovered and ran towards the one she admired.

"Alphonse-Sama!" she said happily as she launched herself at young teen. Al panicked slightly and dropped his luggage to the ground before he himself came tumbling down, a very happy and excited Mei and Xiomei over him. Once the two decided to get off, he sat up and rubbed the back of his head as he looked to the young girl, who was smiling with bright eyes.

"Nice to see you too, Mei," he said with a struggled smile. The ebony-haired girl smiled at him happily. Al heard some laughter from behind and he looked up over his shoulder to see that Winry was holding back the giggles that wanted to escape her lips. The young Elric blushed and looked away.

"Come, Miss Rockbell," Ling said suddenly. "I still must take you to your own room," he stated. Winry waved at Al before following Ling further down the hall.

"Hey, wait a minute," Al tried to get to his feet once more as he outstretched a hand towards his friends. Sadly, however, Mei attacked him once more and landed on his back while folding her hands on top of the young Alchemist's head and looking down to his face with a small smile and shimmering eyes. Al looked up to her before smiling and blushing nervously. It wasn't that he didn't like the company of Mei and her pet, of course not; on the contrary. But, when he was around her, he just…well, to be blunt, blushed.

Winry and Ling continued down the long hallway. The Rockbell looked up to Ling while smiling.

"It seems your sister has a crush," she teased playfully.

"Royal blood beckons for what it desires," Ling replied playfully before stopping and turning towards Winry once more. "Which reminds me," he said as he took the Rockbell's right hand in his own and brought it up to his face. Winry raised a brow, curious.

"The marriage proposal I gave you many times is still up for grabs, if you wish," the elder prince said dreamily as he looked to the mechanic lovingly, sparkles and small hearts floating and popping around his head as he smiled at her charmingly. Winry smiled and shook her head humorously.

_Not this again, _she thought playfully before pulling her hand away from Ling. The onyx-haired young man seemed down for a moment before Winry spoke up once more.

"By the way," she said. "Whatever happened to Ran Fan?"

Ling snapped out of his minor depression before giving the mechanic a curious look before smiling brightly.

"She should be somewhere," the prince said cheerily with a smile to match. "She has never lost her loyalty to my family, Miss Rockbell. That loyalty has even grown since she gained her Automail arm. She has become stronger with it and I am pleased to say that I see her smiling every so often, much more than before," Ling replied. Winry smiled contently.

"That's very good to hear," she said happily. Ling's smile faded somewhat.

"Is that so? Because it is what makes me worry about her," the thin-eyed teen explained. Winry's eyes widened.

"Why?" she questioned.

"With strength also comes more weakness, Miss Rockbell. I'm afraid she may push herself too far, as when she cut off her own arm because she felt she was too weak to protect me," Ling explained, causing his blonde friend to widen her blue eyes further.

"I don't want that for her, Miss Rockbell…" Ling continued. "I've grown to have feelings for her since we came back; not that I already didn't; I have always been worried for her well-being but, now, I feel it should be my responsibility to stop her from doing something foolish," he explained silently. "I don't wish for her to sacrifice her life for my own, if the situation calls for it." That certainly caught Winry's attention and she suddenly suspected that Ling and Ran Fan's relationship was nothing short of _just_ an acquaintanceship. They had bonded further than that and it may have been possible that they had stronger feelings for each other than they wanted to believe.

The Rockbell looked up to Ling and forced herself to smile.

"You'll have to figure this out, Ling," she told her friend. "Might I suggest talking to Ran Fan about these things?" she suggested kindly. Ling shrugged before looking away.

"Perhaps…" he mumbled, more to himself than to Winry. Without another word, he continued walking down the hallway and the Automail tech followed in silence. Soon, Ling stopped once more in front of another door.

"This is your room, Miss Rockbell," the prince stated in a more serious voice.

"Thank you, Ling, very much," Winry said gratefully and she bowed slightly. This caused a small smile to grace Ling's features.

"Of course," he said before beginning to walk off towards the opposite direction, towards his own room, Winry suspected. It was then, however, that she remembered something urgent.

"Ling, wait!" she called back as she turned around quickly. The Xingian prince stopped, shooting his head up curiously before turning around to face Winry once more.

"What is it?" he asked inquiringly. The blonde Rockbell sighed quietly to herself before replying.

"Ling," she began. "Have you seen any signs of Edward lately?" Ling's brows raised, slightly surprised that she would ask that.

"Edward? No, actually," he replied. "Was he supposed to be in Xing?" he questioned. Winry tensed slightly at the response.

"Yes," she answered. "He was sent on a military assignment several days ago and Al and I were hoping we could see him," she explained further. This undoubtedly sparked interest in Ling. If Ed _had_ visited, he certainly would've seen him. Seeing as Ling was constantly in town, hiding and jumping from rooftop to rooftop, he usually knew when and what was going on within his country.

Hearing about this, however, was very new to him; he had not seen any sign of Edward whatsoever, not even a trace that the blonde had even been within the Xingian boundaries.

"I'm sorry, Miss Rockbell," he replied in a stern voice. "I'm afraid I have not seen him…" Winry's eyes widened sadly.

_No, _she thought miserably. _If Ed's not in Xing…where could he be?_ She asked herself, bringing a fist to her suddenly rapidly beating heart.

"If I may," Ling perked up. "I will try and search for him tomorrow," he offered firmly. Winry nodded once.

"Thank you, again," she said, nervousness shaking in her voice. The prince nodded before turning on a heel and walking, once more, towards his room. The Automail mechanic sighed before opening the door to the room that Ling had assigned her. Once she stepped inside, she closed the door behind her. The beautiful silk bed and lovely flags that hung from the walls could not make a smile appear on her face.

She threw her bag off her shoulder and onto her bed. She looked around and saw another entrance, covered with a light curtain. Curious, she walked up to it and stepped through the passageway; it led to a large balcony with many exotic potted plants and a bench, at the very edge before the concrete railing formed, sat with shaped animal paws for legs. She continued until she was at the edge. Placing her hands down on the railing, she leaned down upon it and looked up into the night-overtaken sky.

"Edward," she murmured silently.

_Where are you?_

F----------------M----------------A

If only Winry knew that the one she longed to see alive and well was mere miles away, sitting in a laboratory in a far-off corner of said laboratory. His arms were shackled to his sides, so he couldn't transmute, while, to his left side, was a window with glass before steel bars formed on the outside. The Elric looked up through the window, looking up into night sky. His golden eyes drooped sadly as he let out a dreaded breath. If only Winry knew how badly the Elric wanted to see his brother…and her, too.

F----------------M----------------A

**A/N:** Well I've _officially_ introduced our favorite Xingian royals, Ling, Mei and Xiaomei, and there is slight reference to our little bodyguard warrior, Ran Fan :D She'll be making an appearance soon, I hope XP I also hope that none of the new characters introduced are OOC; I've never used them before and don't know their personalities _that_ well. Anyway, please R&R, constructive criticism, no flames :) thanks!

**P.S. **LONGER CHAPTER!!! XD And hints of the romance X3


	6. Learning The Ropes

_**Slave Driven**_

**Disclaimer: **I Don't Own _FMA_ In Any Way.

**Rating: **PG-13 and Older Due to Bad Language, Some Sexual Themes and Scenes of Torture.

**A/N: **I'm glad you all like that I've _finally_ introduced Ling ;) and Mei and Xiaomei, of course ;) Anyway, hope you like this chapter, too X3

F----------------M----------------A

Edward's eyes were loosely closed as his back leaned against the stone wall behind him and small breaths escaped from his lightly open mouth. He was asleep, obviously, as his muscles were loose and he couldn't feel the slight pain of his restrained flesh wrist, which was shackled to his side above him. His metallic leg, although covered by a black pant leg and combat boot, was propped up while the other lay on the ground, fully stretched out. His golden bangs had a few random strands in front of his face as he slept, fairly soundly. The Sun, however, would come up soon and he'd wake up to another dreaded day.

Aden still didn't trust the Elric; therefore he shackled him in his laboratory the night before so that he couldn't 'transmute a hole through a wall and escape,' as he had put it. Undoubtedly, that was what Ed had been thinking. Nevertheless, Ed allowed himself to be hung by his wrists—low enough so that he could sit down and lean his back on the wall—for he wouldn't fight back in front of Aden. Slowly, he would earn the crimson-haired man's trust and make his escape when he was allowed to sleep _without_ restraints. It wasn't impossible but Ed's persona would probably get in the way.

The Sun was slowly making an appearance. Creeping over all obstacles in its path, its light was penetrating the windows and open pastures of nearby areas and the region in general. Said light slowly sneaked into the window that was to Ed's left side. Its first landing was upon the Elric's face. Almost immediately he flinched from the sudden burning sensation at his eyes, only having thin eyelids as a defense.

He clutched said eyelids tight, hoping to ward away the fiery hell currently residing within his eyes. It was short-lasted as he soon accepted that morning was finally overtaking the previously dark sky and the young man carefully opened his golden orbs, gradually getting accustomed to the new light of day. The surprisingly clean smell of the laboratory filled his nostrils as soon as he gained control of his nasal senses. Once his touch receptors activated as well, he began to feel the pain in his flesh wrist but, for now, he ignored it. With half-lidded eyes, he looked around his surroundings; he saw the same thing he had seen the night before.

Many metallic tables were lined up against the wall to the Alchemist's right; at least five with gaps in between. Within the center of the large room were some more tables, some with oddly-labeled chemicals while others were barren of any objects. There was a large bookcase to the far right corner of the room that was perpendicular to the table-lined wall. It covered said wall completely until the entrance that was many meters in front of Ed. There were many books residing within the bookcase; Ed was unsure what their titles were, for it was too far away for him to see. The floor was of grey concrete while the wall was of a darkish, brown stone.

The poor Elric sighed, both annoyed and discontent. He suddenly wished he knew when Aden would awake. Not that the Alchemist had taken any kind of liking to him, heavens no! But Aden was the only one who could set Ed free from his restraints; therefore he was his only hope of making the pain of his wrist go away. He kept his rare, golden eyes intent on the entrance to the other side of the room.

It was an entrance like any other, he supposed. It was basically two large double doors made of wood with elegant designs upon it. The door had definitely seen better days; it was slightly scratched and even nicked—big and small alike—here and there. For a moment, the Elric pondered over what may have caused the damage on it but was tossed off his train of thought when the silver knob of the left door began to jiggle. He shrugged curiously and became alert.

The door opened finally to a slightly groggy-looking Aden. His red hair was messy and he was wearing a white t-shirt that looked like it was simply tossed on. His lower half was covered in some simple grey sweatpants and white socks. Edward cocked his head to one side; he figured this must be the young man's 'comfy' look. For someone who was a supposed scientist, he looked nothing short of unprofessional.

But, of course, Aden was human—a bad human—but a human, nevertheless, and he had his different sides.

"Good morning, 23," the redhead said casually. Ed was very confused about this person; he could be either an asshole or a seemingly very nice person.

_It must depend on his mood, _the Elric supposed.

"Morning, sir," Ed responded finally in a plain tone; he was still playing along with the fact that Aden was his 'master' in this country. "Have a good sleep?" he added. He figured be better start acting nice if he was gong to get anywhere with getting Aden to trust him. The redhead's eyes widened slightly; that question had surprised him a bit. He looked across the room to the Alchemist that lay on the floor.

"Yes," he replied with a hint of curiousness in his voice. "You?" he somewhat regretted the word the moment it escaped his lips; of course the Elric hadn't slept well, he was hung from a wall, for heavens sake!

"…Fine," Edward muttered quietly as he averted his gaze away. Aden took note of the minor pause he had taken before responding. He forced himself to shrug it off as he scratched the back of his head and finally walking into the room. Walking up to his slave, he pulled out a key from his right pocket before reaching over and unshackling the blonde's wrists. They limbs fell upon Ed's lap before he immediately wrapped his Automail hand around his sore flesh wrist, which was currently an awfully bad-looking red.

That was when the redheaded scientist yawned and stretched a bit before turning on a heel and heading back towards the entrance of the room.

"Come, 23," he said without looking over his shoulder. Ed looked up from his pained hand. Aden continued. "I must at least give you a tour of how things work around here," he stated plainly as he stopped at the entrance and waited to hear the Elric's shuffling. Of course, the sound soon came, accompanied by a low 'yes sir.'

Ed soon stood behind his master and followed him as he walked further, closing the laboratory's door behind him. The two then proceeded on walking down the smallish staircase that formed immediately before the entrance of the lab; it was only about five to eight steps, at most. Once at the bottom, Ed looked around; he had seen this room the night before. It was the second floor of Aden's home, where all the bedrooms and one living room were. He supposed there was more to the floor than just that but; then again, he was never given the chance to completely explore the building from top to bottom.

Aden walked Ed through the second floor. The Elric, of which, discovered that the second floor also held a private study. Aden had specifically given him orders to stay out of said room, whether the redhead was within its confines or not. Edward pondered over why he wouldn't want him in there but dare not question; he supposed Aden had something private in there, which made him want to go in there more. Whatever it was could possibly answer some of Ed's still-unanswered questions.

The emerald-eyed scientist then led the Elric Alchemist to another staircase. This one was much longer than the previous one, having at least twenty steps in total. This floor Edward had not seen. The day before, he had found himself lying on a cushy bed in the second floor. Again, he was never given a full tour of the home.

Aden continued walking and the two soon reached a kitchen with marble countertops and white walls. The floor was of white tile. The kitchen itself was large enough to hold four or five people within its cooking area.

"This kitchen is just as much yours as it is mine," the redhead stated suddenly as he looked over his shoulder, sternly, to Ed. "If you behave, that is," he added before continuing. "I cook my own meals so you won't be asked for much of that. I may ask you for a drink or snack every so often, however. I'm not picky about my food but feel free to ask me what I wish to munch on," he explained monotonously.

"I'll make sure to keep that in mind," Ed told him. Aden smirked at the young man before looking ahead once more and walking, Edward following every step. They walked out of another passageway to the other side of the room that led to what was, apparently, the great dining room. There was a large rectangular table with eight luxurious chairs lined up on either side of it and a chair at both ends of the table. The table itself was currently pretty barren, except for some nice-looking red, oval-shaped placemats with golden borders and some three-candle holders along the center.

Ed looked up to the ceiling; a three foot long sparkling chandelier hung from said ceiling. It looked as if many diamonds were hanging from the three layers of eight arms, each connected by a gold chain that held more crystals. Edward stayed gazing at it, dumbfounded; he had never seen such a lovely lamp before.

"Amazing, yes?" Aden asked suddenly, causing Ed to jump slightly and get out of his trance. He looked to the green-eyed young man who was now at his side and had his arms crossed and was looking up to his chandelier. The Elric was silent for a moment before shaking his head and looking back to the crystal-covered lamp.

"It's incredible…I've never seen such an intricate chandelier before," he replied softly. His eyes seemed to sparkle from the very sparkles emanating from the beautiful light source. It wasn't even turned on; the Sun as hitting it from a large, nearby window. The blonde could only imagine the beauty it must obtain if it were on.

"That lamp has been in my family for quite a few years now. It was first my grandmother's, who then gave it to my mom and then to me…it was her dying wish for me to have it so I could never forget her…" he trailed off and sighed to himself. Edward gave him and odd look.

"Are you OK, sir?" he asked, trying to sound kind. It stayed dead silent for a few moments.

"I'm fine," Aden replied finally before he walked past his slave and continued walking. "Come," he ordered quietly and the blonde followed him once more. Ed took one last glance to the striking glass and metal work that hung from the ceiling before he and his owner walked out of the room through a door to the other side of the wall with the original entrance. This passage led them to what seemed to be a living room or lounge area. There were two black couches lining the wall parallel to their entrance while, on the perpendicular wall, was another smaller couch and a recliner next to it, each the same color as the other two couches.

In the center was a black and grey granite-topped table with a simple flower in a small pot in the center. The walls were white and the floor was a dark wood. There were small night tables to the sides of the couches with lamps upon them that had black lampshades and a medium tube-like body with round stands. The lamps had some golden accents along their body and stands; the shades were left of one color. The small tables which held them had a black, shiny top with sleek, golden legs.

"Ritzy," Ed commented playfully as he smiled at Aden. The scientist, of which, looked to the slave and smirked back.

"Nice, isn't it? My funding is well-balanced to support a personal lifestyle and the chemicals and supplies I need. This way, I get my materials and am able to work on my projects while still being able to get away whenever I need to," Aden explained. "I'm pretty good with numbers so I've figured out my budget on my own. I don't have to worry so much about my money going somewhere I don't want it going. I work for my money, I might as well spend it on what_ I_ need and, occasionally, want."

Ed was pretty impressed.

_He's _**pretty**_ good with numbers? _He asked himself. _This guy lives like he must be an expert! _He thought and looked around from his place, his face becoming serious. _I wonder how tight his security is…_This was certainly something Edward needed to think of; having Aden's trust would be good but if security was far too tight then he'd never get out.

It wasn't as simple as transmuting a hole through a wall and running like hell. If there was up-to-date technology defense or even guards, Ed could easily find himself in a bad situation quick. He was strong—physically, mentally, and Alchemically—but one person being outnumbered greatly was not a good thing. Ed liked to think of himself as a one-man army but, even then, all armies had their weaknesses. No matter how long Ed had been in the military and no matter how hard the military tried, he knew one thing for sure; there was no such thing as 'The Perfect Soldier.'

Aden led Ed out of that room and back to the area that could take you to the kitchen and stairs. The rest of the day, then, remained fairly uneventful. Ed was forced to be a slave and that was that. He would earn Aden's trust in due time and, until then, he would just have to learn how to accommodate. The first day wasn't even that hard.

Aden asked for Ed to do some cleaning around the house before going to get his breakfast. After doing a few chores, Ed went off to the kitchen to get himself a snack and drink, too, so he could have some energy for the day. Aden had gone up to his study and Ed simply continued his work. He would stay dormant for the time being so, until an opportunity opened, he would just play along.

F----------------M----------------A

The Sun's light crept into the room of the Rockbell mechanic. Her eyes flinched slightly from the sting before she fluttered her cerulean eyes open. Accustoming herself to the light, she sat up on her knees and rubbed her tired eyes before stretching her arms above her, groaning somewhat from the relief. With half-lidded eyes, she stepped out of bed, finally, and grabbed her bag from the ground next to her. She then placed the bag upon her bed and pulled out some clothes.

She put on a pair of brown pants that reached just below her knees, a white tank top, and white boots with two inch heels. She then grabbed a blue clip from her bag as well and picked up her light blonde hair in a bun, leaving her two side bangs. Zipping up her bag and leaving it on her bed, she proceeded towards the bedrooms door. Opening it, she stepped out into the long hallway, closing the door behind her. She walked down the hallway; her destination was Al's room.

She reached his door and saw that it was closed. Carefully, she knocked on the accented door and awaited the young Elric's voice.

"Hold on," she heard his muffled voice from the other side. A few moments later, the door opened to a green shirt-wearing Al with jeans and slightly messy hair. "Oh, morning Winry," he said with a cute smile. Winry smiled back at him. Al opened his door wider, indicating she could enter. The Rockbell walked in and sat on his bed.

"Have a good sleep?" she asked kindly. Al grabbed his shoes and sat down next to Winry.

"Yeah, I talked with Mei a little before actually going to sleep but we eventually both got sleepy. What about you?" the Alchemist asked as he pulled on his brown shoes and smiled, combing through his hair with his fingers to fix it a bit. Winry smiled a small smirk but it faded fast.

"I thought about Ed a bit before going to sleep. I slept OK but I'm really worried about him," she replied sadly. Al was grinning at her, however. Winry looked up to him and widened her eyes at him. "What?" she asked curiously.

"You thought about Nii-San before going to sleep, eh? What exactly did you think about?" he asked playfully and suggestively. Winry thought for a moment and blushed.

"Al!" she scolded heatedly. The younger Elric snickered quietly.

"I was kidding!" he said quickly. "Besides, I kind of thought about him, too Win. Don't worry, I'm sure he's fine," he told her and then stood up and headed to his door.

"Al," Winry said as she stood up after him. "I talked to Ling last night about Ed." Al stopped walking, widening his eyes slightly. "He says he didn't know Ed was even in Xing," Winry clarified. "And he also offered to look around for him today and I said it was OK."

"He…hasn't seen Nii-San?" Al asked in a small voice as he looked to Winry with saddened eyes. The blue-eyed girl nodded once. The young Elric suddenly had a bad feeling in his stomach again, worse than the first however. Ed was supposed to be in Xing and it had already been a week or so. If Ling hadn't seen him then it brought up the question if Ed had even _been_ to Xing within this time period.

Without a word, Al looked ahead once more and walked out of his room with Winry behind him. The two walked down the hallway in silence and were soon greeted by Ling, Mei and Xiaomei. They went off to breakfast, which was eaten in silence. Al and Winry forced themselves to eat, to have energy for the rest of the day. They decided they would join Ling in his search for Ed.

Whatever it took, they would find him. He needed to be somewhere in the eastern countries; no one just disappeared into thin air. They all have to be somewhere.

F----------------M----------------A

**A/N: **OK, chapter 6 :) I think things are going pretty good so far X3 anyway, please R&R, constructive criticism, no flames ;) thanks! I hope you guys are enjoying the story! By the way, sorry for late updates; internet has been wonky for me lately so please forgive.


	7. Discovery

_**Slave Driven**_

**Disclaimer: **I Don't Own _FMA_ In Any Way.

**Rating: **PG-13 and Older Due to Bad Language, Some Sexual Themes, Scenes of Torture and Violence.

**A/N: **:)

F----------------M----------------A

The rest of the day was supposed to be uneventful, Ed figured. By noon, he was still doing chores by order of Aden. The house was big and therefore needed a lot of attention, he figured. This also made him think that, once he was finished cleaning, he would have to start over. The house was also a little chilly; luckily, however, Aden had given him a black shirt for the time being. His annoyances aside, he was surprised to hear the doorbell ring as he was mopping at noon.

His eyes widened and his head perked up. He walked into a small alcove in the center of the area that led to both the kitchen and dining room. He stared at the door for quite some time. Aden had showed him the door a while ago but had also immediately read the Alchemist's mind. Aden clarified that he could open the door but he wouldn't get out too easily; there was another door on the outside that was like a metal fence, except the full height of the door inside.

Ed sighed and walked up to the door. Unlocking the three locks, he grabbed the dark, gold knob below them and turned it. He heard steps coming down the stairs as he was opening the door and suspected it to be Aden but continued. Once the door opened completely, Ed looked up to who could be visiting. His eyes were met with a pair of deep blue eyes with bark blue bangs hanging, slightly, over them.

He could immediately tell this person was female, just by her eyes. Unknown to neither Aden nor the young woman, he looked her over. Her hair, aside from her bangs, was jet-back and reached a little below her waist. She had a fairly average body and long, sleek legs. Looking back to her face, he noted that her skin was only a tad bit darker than Aden's. She was wearing a navy-blue shirt and a black mini-skirt, black high-heeled ankle boots covering her feet. The Elric stepped aside, allowing Aden to open the other door and let the young woman in.

Of course, that was Aden's next action. He walked up to the door and pulled out some keys from his left pocket. Ed noticed this and made sure to keep it logged away in his mind. The emerald-eyed young man unlocked the door. The young woman on the other side opened it and stepped inside, a bright smile on her face as she closed the door once more behind her.

"Aden!" she said cheerfully as she pulled the crimson-haired scientist into a tight embrace. The young man smiled in delight as he held her around her waist as well and lifted her, momentarily, off the ground before putting her back on her feet. Ed raised a curious brow; he figured the two must've been either very close friends or a couple. The two pulled away from each other but kept their arms wrapped around them.

"Alexis," Aden murmured to the girl sweetly. The midnight-colored-eyed girl smiled at him in the same manner before giving him a gentle kiss on the lips. Ed's eyes drooped, somewhat annoyed; now he _knew _the two were more than friends. He looked away, feeling slightly awkward but also disgusted. Aden smiled at his girlfriend before pulling away and closing the door, locking it before closing the front door as well.

Ed took the liberty of walking back and continuing his mopping; work was better than being subject to the mush. It wasn't that he didn't like the feelings; he recalled, on more than one occasion, himself blushing or becoming dreamy-eyed at the sight or thought of a certain blonde mechanic. That thought, alone, caused his cheeks to burn as he was cleaning at the current moment, hoping it would leave soon. Aden and Alexis walked into Ed's area, hand-in-hand. Although Ed didn't notice, Alexis looked over at him, cocking her head to one side.

"Aden," the girl said suddenly, causing the crimson-haired young man to shrug curiously. "Who's this?" she asked him. Ed growled lowly to himself, obviously knowing that _he_ was the one she was indicating.

"Oh," Aden replied. "This is my newest slave, 23," he clarified.

"What happened to your last one?" Alexis asked him in a low voice. Ed noticed this and kept working but silently enough to catch their words.

"An experiment went wrong; he was too weak. He was too defiant." Ed's eyes widened nervously as the black part reduced in size significantly at the response he heard. That was certainly something he _didn't_ want to hear. He realized just how much deeper he had gotten into this situation; his life was on the line. Now he knew that he needed to be careful; as Aden had put it, 'defiance is a sin.'

The Elric shook his head and forced himself to continue his work. Luckily, he did this just in time; it was then that Aden looked back to him.

"23," the scientist said with authority.

"Yes sir?" Ed asked as he stopped, momentarily, and looked up to his owner.

"Finish your last few chores and you'll be done for the day, understood?" Aden questioned sternly. The Alchemist nodded once in understanding.

"Of course, I'm almost done," he told him. The young Valince nodded once in return before wrapping an arm around Alexis and walking off to the kitchen, he and the raven-haired girl both. Once they disappeared, Edward hissed out an annoyed breath, causing a few strands of his blonde hair to rise and fall back in place. He quickly finished the rest of his mopping before going to the kitchen. Before entering, however, he heard his owner and girlfriend talking.

The Elric stayed outside the door and listened closely.

"Aden, your new slave…he seems…_different_ from the rest you've had," Alexis stated; her voice was a mix of curiousness of some worriment.

"Of course he's different," her lover replied. "Don't you know who he is?"

"No," the blue-eyed young girl replied. "But, please, do tell."

"Alexis, he's Edward Elric; Child Prodigy and the infamous Fullmetal Alchemist," Aden explained. A small gasp was heard.

"Aden, are you sure you should've picked him? I've heard of his strengths and incredible Alchemy skills…are you sure he won't try and escape?" Alexis asked nervously.

"When you appeal to them, Alex," the young scientist replied, apparently using the girl's nickname. "You can manipulate them to do whatever you want." Ed growled lowly. As much as he didn't want to admit it, the young Valince was right; he had been manipulating the Elric this whole time by using harsh threats and appealing to Ed with the state of his well-being. The Alchemist took a deep breath and entered the kitchen. The moment he walked in, it was silent.

Ignoring the silence, he walked up to the sink. He dried out all the water in the mop and emptied the bucket filled with the water he had been using. As he was doing this, he could feel an undying gaze upon him. It wasn't Aden's however. No, this gaze was intent and it felt like something that wasn't anger or a glare; it was lust and intrigue. It was Alexis that was staring at him.

To confirm his assumption, he carefully looked over his shoulder to the girl who was sitting on the countertop on the opposite side. He realized that he was right; she _was_ staring at him with slight lust. He quickly looked back to what he was doing. As soon as he was finished, he grabbed the mop and bucket and walked out to the area with the entrance to both dining room and kitchen. He placed the two in a closet within said area and the headed to the stairs.

Once he was on the second floor, the Elric looked around. He had already seen much of the house but, now that Aden was preoccupied with his girlfriend, Ed felt it would be the perfect time to do some snooping around. His first target was Aden's bedroom. He would have to act fast, however; who knew when he would come up, with his girlfriend probably. Carefully, he walked up to the young man's bedroom door in the center of the hallway.

Nervously placing his Automail hand down on the knob of the door, he turned it slowly before opening the room. Once it was opened fully, he stepped into the room he had seen earlier that day. It was also elegantly decorated. The bed's back was against the wall that was next to the door and was covered in a red comforter with golden linings and some sewn-in designs in the same, shining thread. The window curtains matched the comforter, but the bars were also outside these windows.

The clean smell of the room filled his nostrils as he stepped in completely. Next to Aden's bed, on either side, were small night desks, each with a lamp with a crimson lampshade upon it and bodies made of long, snake-like dragons on stands. He immediately noticed that, the night desk on the right side of the bed had something lying upon it; his State Alchemist pocket watch. The golden orbs that resided in his head widened greatly, obviously surprised. He looked over his shoulder and then back into the room before entering, finally.

He swallowed a lump in his throat as he reached a metallic hand down towards the shining, silver watch. The Elric stopped about midway, however, and reconsidered. He shook his head slowly and brought his metal hand back to his side.

"No way," he mumbled to himself, still shaking his head slightly. "Aden's not that thick…he'll notice it's missing," he realized and backed away from the night desk.

_He'll know I took it back, _he thought anxiously. _I can't take it…not now…not yet…I need him to trust me. _He turned away and looked to the large dresser behind him that stood five feet high and was at least three feet wide. It was made in sleek, well-polished mahogany wood and each of its drawers had two handles to either side. The handles were flawlessly carved into long, snake-like dragons facing each other, made of gold.

Ed reached an Automail hand up to the top drawer before sliding it down to the third one. With an impassive look across his face, he placed said hand on the handle before pulling his flesh hand up to the other handle on the opposite side and opening the elegant drawer. Inside were several of Aden's t-shirts, each neatly folded and stacked one upon the other. Ed carefully reached in and lifted each shirt, careful to not disturb it too much. When he reached the bottom of the stack to the left, his eyes widened as they lay upon a manila file , neatly titled 'Tranquilizer's' in black ink in the center. In parentheses beneath the title were the words 'Research, Reports and Results.'

The Alchemist reached in and took out the entire packet and held it in his hands before his face. Opening the file like a book, his eyes were met with a picture clipped together with a report. The picture was of a young man, seemingly in his late teens. The young man had brown hair and hazel eyes with a stern expression across his features. Ed took a closer look and noticed that there was a choker around his neck, much like the one he, himself, had. He looked closely and saw the number on the tag of the choker; it read '16.' He then began reading the report.

**Research, Results, and Report**

**Tag Number: **_16_

**Real Name: **_Henry Malice_

**Age: **_19_

**Gender: **_Male_

**Original Status: **_State Alchemist—The Doppelganger Alchemist _

Ed's eyes widened as he read the last one but he continued reading after swallowing a large lump in his throat. Although disturbing, perhaps this could answer some of his questions. He needed to find out what would become of him…and if he'd be able to survive it.

(**A/N: **Anyone who wishes for me to make a character sheet for 'Henry Malice,' please feel free to say so. Anyone who asks why his state name is 'The Doppelganger Alchemist' will also get a reply.)

F----------------M----------------A

So far, for the two Xingian royals, the Rockbell mechanic and the young Elric Alchemist, their search for the infamous Fullmetal Alchemist had gone in vain. Alphonse and Ling had been searching the upper areas of Xing, meaning that they were using the height of buildings to their advantage, hopping from one to the other to get a bird's eye-view of their position. Winry, Mei, and Xiaomei, however, were searching at ground-level, asking residents of the country if they had seen a young man with golden hair and uncommon eyes of the same color. All replies had been the same; no. Not to mention, Al and Ling hadn't updated them on anything new.

As the elder royal and young Alchemist were on their search, Al suddenly had a few questions for his host.

"Ling?" he questioned as the two stopped on the roof of a building. The yellow-shirted young man looked over his shoulder before turning around, fully, to face the Elric.

"Yes, Alphonse, what's the matter?" he asked him, somewhat worriedly.

"Ling," Al spoke his name once more, an air of sternness about him. "I have to ask you something…Have there…been any signs of or, perhaps, kidnappings by any Military Rebel groups that you would know of?" he asked with some anxiousness hinted in his voice. The prince before him raised a curious brow, however.

"Military Rebels?" he repeated thoughtfully. "Is that what you were sent to look for?" he asked.

"Yes," Al replied with a nod. The eighteen year-old prince looked down and placed a hand on his hip.

"Alphonse," he mumbled silently. "Xing struggles to keep the peace amongst its residents; our security keeps everyone in check while our laws force prosecution upon those who decide to go against the government or even the military," he replied seriously. "The military doesn't even come here that often _because _of this. I apologize, Al…but there haven't been any mysterious disappearances and there _are _no rebel groups within Xing's boundaries." The younger Elric's eyes widened greatly; why would the colonel ask him to investigate on something that wasn't there?

Or…was there something else behind it all? Something…

That Mustang was keeping from him.

F----------------M----------------A

**A/N: **Sorry on the _really_ late update; been real busy .-. And my internet's still being bitchy XP anyway, please R&R, constructive criticism, no flames ;) thanks! By the way, a character sheet for Alexis will be up in a few days on my DevantART ;)


	8. Time Repeats Itself

_**Slave Driven**_

**Disclaimer: **I Don't Own _FMA_ In Any Way.

**Rating: **PG-13 and Older Due to Bad Language, Some Sexual Themes, Scenes of Torture and Violence.

**A/N: **Chapter 8 ;) Hope you enjoy!

**WARNING: **Just one spoiler in there :)

F----------------M----------------A

When Edward had finished reading Aden's reports, he was _beyond_ traumatized. He found out that Aden had at least twenty some odd slaves before himself. Each of these slaves consisted of different statuses; commoner, State Alchemist and even a few lieutenants. He shrugged and placed the file back where he found it, closing the drawer and forcing his shaky legs to move out of the room. He brought a hand to his aching head; this country was murdering people, not caring what their previous status was.

Aden had killed twenty something, most of them being State Alchemists. Either Aden was a blood luster or he had a thing for experimenting on State Alchemists, mainly ones that weren't greatly well-known. His 'results' of which were more horrifying still. Ed had learned that what Aden had told him earlier was right; the scientist wasn't afraid to use torture as a method of putting slaves in their place.

He used different types of torture, however, and that was what made it so spine-chilling. Aden had resorted to physical torture; shooting at his slaves in the limbs, tying them up for three days without any food or water, and mistreating, beating them or taking advantage of them sexually if they were female and he wasn't in a relationship at the time. The crimson-haired young man also had tactics of mental torture; he would appeal to them psychologically by using threats and even using reverse psychology. By using threats and appealing to Ed's well-being, he had already made the Elric subject that type of torture. The Valince also had one more kind of torture; chemical.

Chemical torture in the sense that he tested his tranquilizer fluids on them, against their will if need be and whether the chemical was stable or not. Aden had lost a few slaves because the chemical was too strong; stronger than a tranquilizer should be. From what he had read, however, Ed noticed a pattern in the young man's progress. Aden had always been handy with creating tranquilizers but he occasionally miscalculated or made a mistake in the amount of certain chemicals to be put in the formula. But, over the years, he had become better and better at creating the substance, which meant that less and less of his slaves died from strange chemicals in their body.

Sadly, Ed found out that some of the scientist's slaves simply committed suicide; apparently, some would also resort to purposely becoming defiant so that Aden could kill them. Ed knew that he couldn't let that happen, however; he needed to survive, no matter how much physical, mental, _or_ chemical torture Aden would put him through. Right now, though, he was still surprised at what he found. The Alchemist walked out into the hallway and closed Aden's bedroom door silently before heading towards his bedroom. Before he could reach it, however, he leaned on the wall for support; what he had read was somewhat graphic and it had made him a little sick.

He held his stomach instinctively, hoping the nauseating feeling within it would leave soon. The blonde swallowed a large lump in his throat and was able to get the strength in his legs back once again. He made it to his bedroom and simply lay down; maybe some rest would soothe him. The Elric closed his eyes and abruptly fell into a deep slumber.

F----------------M----------------A

Once Al was certain that something was wrong, he kindly asked that Ling take him back to the royal's palace for a few moments, saying that he needed to make a phone call back to Central. Ling had asked if they should alert Winry and his younger sister of their whereabouts but Alphonse had immediately declined, saying it was an emergency. In truth, he didn't want Winry to worry until he was positive that something wasn't right about his so-called 'assignment.' The Xingian royal, although surprised by the young Elric's request, obliged and led Al back to the palace. Once there, he brought him to a telephone.

Al picked up the phone, instantly, and dialed in the number for Central's Military Headquarters. After a few dial tones rang through the young man's ear, a soft, female voice was heard on the other line.

"_Hello, Central Military Base, how may I help you?"_ the woman's voice asked politely.

"This is Second Lieutenant Alphonse Elric; patch me through to Colonel Roy Mustang, it's an emergency!" he stated, his voice both serious but urgent.

"_Yes, please hold," _the female on the other line said; a beep was heard and Al held onto the phone in his hand a few seconds before another deep voice took over.

"_Colonel Mustang speaking," _the voice said and Al couldn't help but tense slightly; tense angrily.

"Colonel, it's Alphonse; I'm within the country of Xing. I've been looking for your so-called 'Military Rebel Groups'," he stated, trying to hide his slight anger.

"_And what have you found?"_ Roy ordered at once. A low growl was heard, coming from the younger Alphonse; it was what made him and his elder brother so similar, their anger.

"Nothing, Colonel," he replied. "Nothing at all! There _are _no Military Rebel Groups out here and there _have _been no strange kidnappings! Mustang, what kind of wild goose chase did you send me on!?" he commanded, his anger finally showing in his annoyed voice. Although the young Alchemist wasn't in the office, Mustang's ebony eyes were as wide as saucers and his breath had gotten caught in his throat.

_"Nothing?"_ he asked nervously. _"Not even a possibility?"_ Al's aggravated sigh was heard.

"Nothing," the golden-eyed young teen repeated sternly. "Ling has clarified that his country struggles to keep the peace and that there aren't any such rebel groups. Not to mention, it's been over a week since Nii-San has left to Xing and Ling says he hasn't seen, not even a sign, of my older brother! Mustang, if you're hiding something, I beg of you, tell me _now _so that time doesn't repeat itself; I don't want the incident of what happened with Maes Hughes to happen again." The way Al had so solemnly stated this made Roy's eyes widen once more and realization slapped him across the face; hiding things from fellow officers only caused problems and possibly emotional pain.

The higher-up forced his emotions aside and cleared his throat.

_"Alphonse,"_ he said nervously.

_"I think your brother might be in trouble."_

F----------------M----------------A

**A/N: **I apologize for the short chapter guys -nervous grin- But I couldn't resist the cliffhanger XD anyway, please R&R, constructive criticism, no flames ;) thanks!


	9. Missing

_**Slave Driven**_

**Disclaimer: **I Don't Own _FMA_ In Any Way. 

**Rating: **PG-13 and Older Due to Bad Language, Some Sexual Themes, Scenes of Torture and Violence.

**A/N: **Sorry for the late updates, guys; things have been pretty crazy XP I'll try to update as soon as I possibly can but, please, be patient. 

F----------------M----------------A

Ed awoke the next morning, vaguely remembering the events of the day before until he had awoken fully. Stepping out of bed, he sat on the side and stretched his arms above him, letting his flesh arm and his back crack comfortingly as he did. He let out a relieved sigh before reaching over to his combat boots and pulling them on. Afterwards, the blonde stood up, quickly getting a feel for his still-tired leg and his Automail limbs. Yawning and rubbing his tired golden eyes, he headed towards the door of his bedroom. 

Reaching down to the knob, he turned it and pulled open the door. When he looked up once more, he was surprised to see a certain crimson-haired scientist leaning on his outer door frame, his arms crossed. 

"Sir," he breathed, somewhat nervously as he could read some anger across the expression his master was giving him. 

"You were not given permission to sleep here yesterday," Aden clarified, his emerald eyes glaring at the young man before him. 

"I…I apologize," Ed replied. "I…I was tired…I thought I could get a few minutes rest but I must've dozed off more than I would've liked," he quickly made his excuse and gave it, making sure to show full signs of composure as he did. Aden shrugged, slightly unsure before getting off the door frame and letting his arms fall to his sides. His eyes stayed unsure and slightly upset. 

"I suppose I can't do anything then…besides, you didn't run off," he stated as he turned around so his back was facing the Elric. "You're off the hook; I understand what it's like to feel tired," he told him and then walked down the hall towards the stairs. Ed silently let out a breath of relief before stepping out of his bedroom and following after Aden. He figured he should be a little more careful as to where and when he decides to fall asleep; apparently, he needed permission. He figured it must've been one of the young man's 'safety precautions' for new slaves. 

_Kind of annoying, if you ask me, _he thought rather annoyed. But then he remembered the day before; many of Aden's previous slaves were State Alchemist's and even people who performed Alchemy. Alchemists could easily escape by using their ability and knowledge while others just managed a way out using their wit. Not to mention, the Valince _did _state, when Ed had first arrived to his home, that he had problems with defiant slaves in the past. That immediately gave Ed reason to understand these rules; so that Aden could keep a closer eye on his property. 

Ed's eyes became stern as he climbed down the stairs but he forced his emotions aside; he couldn't give Aden _any _sign that he may have done something wrong. Showing anger meant that the Elric was upset with the scientist, which he was, but he didn't want said scientist to find out _why _he was angry at him. It would just tick Aden off that the blonde had the _audacity_ to snoop around. Right now, Ed was just trying to stay alive; after what he had read last night, he knew Aden's full potential and didn't want to risk getting any new scars. He already had enough as it was.

"23," Aden called, causing Ed to look up to him. 

"Yes?" he replied curiously. 

"I want you to clean up around here a little bit. I'll be in the kitchen and then I'll be heading back upstairs to my study. Once you're finished with your task, I would like you to meet me up in the lab," he explained. "And no tricks; I don't want to have to hurt you, Fullmetal." Ed's eyes widened slightly; that was the first time that Aden had called him by his State name. He brushed it off for the moment and nodded. 

"Yes sir," he replied, using the casual voice he tried to use in the office back at Central. "May I ask why?" he questioned, however. Aden grinned at him. 

"You'll see soon enough," was all he replied before walking to the swinging door that led to the kitchen an disappearing behind it, leaving behind a pondering Edward. 

_What could that_ **lunatic** _want with me? _He asked himself. He thought for several moments but to no avail, unless it was something negative. The blonde then decided to, forcibly, ignore his inquisitiveness and followed Aden's orders and begin cleaning. After a few moments, the red-headed scientist walked out of the kitchen once more, with a sandwich on a plate in one hand, as he headed towards the stairs and climbed up them, heading towards his study, Ed figured. The Elric huffed out a breath of annoyance and continued with his current task; sweeping. 

As he was doing this, he came up to a window, with bars on the outside, of course. Ed, nevertheless, looked out of said window, seeing the bright, shining Sun with some white clouds passing by or over it. His eyes drooped somewhat; the day looked the exact opposite of what he felt at the moment. He was angry, of course, for finding out what Aden, and the country of Xerisa, was doing to the lives of innocent people. He was sure there_ must_ be slave drivers who _didn't_ treat their slaves like this but; of course, there were also the ones that _did. _

Ed was also upset that he wasn't able to neither hear nor speak to his young sibling, Alphonse, and his best friend and mechanic, Winry Rockbell. As far as he was concerned, they were still safe in Central, under the roof of their home while Winry attended customers and Al was following orders from Colonel Mustang. At least, that what he hoped; since he was_ miles_ away from them, it wasn't exactly the easiest thing to decide if the two were well or not. That was what always made him think of negative things. Hell, for all he knew his home could've caught fire; Winry could've been hurt by her Automail or a bad customer who was after more than just merchandise. Alphonse could've been sent on a field assignment and gotten much more than he had bargained for; he was an Alchemist and easily an open target to anyone who despised Alchemists or the military, seeing as he was a lieutenant and a brother to a well-known State Alchemist.

Edward shuddered at the thought and he forced those feelings out of his mind. He didn't want Al to be hurt because he was his only little brother and living relative. Al still had a full life ahead of him, seeing as he was only seventeen years of age with only a year of finally getting back his body. Ed was so happy that his little sibling was in his rightful body, feeling the things he should be feeling and showing his emotions just as he should. His smiles were very precious to Edward and he was so happy to see his face grinning at him as Edward himself grins at times. 

Although the two brothers were very different in the way they acted, they looked very much alike and sometimes had the same mannerisms or traits. Ed would smile one way and that same smile was passed down to his brother. The same also goes for his grins or even the way Ed hangs his golden bangs in front of his eyes to hide the golden orbs within his head. Al somehow had a knack for pulling off that trick as well, even if his bangs weren't as long as his brother's. And when Al got angry at Ed for whatever reason, the elder Elric saw the same anger burning in the younger's eyes than the anger that was seen by many in _his_ eyes. 

Edward sighed, discontent. He missed his younger brother so much and was very worried; he wondered if they were as concerned as he was. That was when he remembered Winry. Looking up through the window once more, Ed's eyes stay gloomy as his thoughts trailed to his blonde Automail tech. If there was one thing that Ed could admit openly, to himself anyway, was that Winry was a very strong and independent young woman with a personality and arm to match. How that arm had thrown her ever-trusty wrench towards his head ever so many times before and still did. 

It was just the way their relationship worked, although very painful to his skull. Anger, punishment, and then forgiveness; that was the usual order of their bickering and it hadn't changed much since they were fifteen. Though Ed _did _notice that Winry's wrench-hurling had reduced somewhat over the years and they didn't argue as constantly as they did before. He managed to converse with her more than he usually did. Whenever he returned home, he was kindly greeted by the young woman's smiling face and sweet voice asking him how his day was. 

On top of that, he himself would return the favor with his own special smirk and ask her back. His Automail tune-ups and upgrades were either comfortably silent or filled with their voices talking from one to the other. The Elric always looked forward to his tune-ups in the past because he was able to see his friend and purposely see how cute she got because of how she worried about him. Now, he looked forward to them even more because of their conversations and, for his own pleasure, the fact that she still wore her black tube top and light kaki overalls. The truth that the little tube top had gotten tighter and her young, female curves had progressed well over the years was enough to keep him interested in the two Automail limbs attached to his body.

Aside from all that however, he just missed her. He admitted to himself a long while ago that he had feelings for her and had come to terms with said feelings. He couldn't, however, find the courage to confess to _her._ As strong as he was, the last thing he wanted was to tell her and be rejected in return, only to never speak to her again. No, he just denied anyone that asked if the were together and grown comfortable with being 'just friends,' no matter how much he wanted it to be more.

Ed sighed. Things weren't looking so hot for him right now and he just wanted to go back home to his brother and friend. He didn't _ask_ to become a slave nor did he _want_ to be one; it just happened by a strange turn of events. He promised Winry tears of joy many years ago; what would happen if she never saw him again? More tears…of sadness. 

The very picture of her crying _because of him_ was enough to make his heart ache so very much. He didn't want that for her, or his little brother; he _needed_ his younger sibling just as Al needed him as well and he also needed to have Winry by his side. Not just for the Automail but for everything else she gave him; her smiles, her voice, and her strength…her love…he needed it all. The blonde Alchemist shrugged and lowered his head, his eyes closing sadly while his bangs created a shadow over his eyes. He just wanted to go to the place he had _finally_ come to call home.

His brows tensed as he looked up once more his eyes opening determinedly. 

_Just a little longer, _he thought. _And I'll make my escape…Aden won't know what hit him. _He grinned and continued his task without another thought. 

F----------------M----------------A

Ed was soon finished with the order given to him. He put the broom back in its place and climbed upstairs before walking down the hall and walking up the smaller staircase which led to the lab. He knocked on the door three times but heard no reply. The blonde knocked again but came up with the same result. He raised an eyebrow, curious as to his master's whereabouts. 

As if on cue, he heard steps coming up behind him and looked over his shoulder to see the red-headed young man. Edward nodded once at him, a simple greeting from one to another. Aden nodded back before pulling out his keys from his right pocket and opening the door to his laboratory. Aden stepped in, followed by Ed, before the young scientist closed the door once more. The Fullmetal Alchemist looked around to the room he had been sleeping in the day before. 

Everything was still in place; from the shackles that had held him to the several metallic tables lined up against the wall and in the center of the room. The only difference that could've possibly been made was that, perhaps, a few chemicals or substances had changed places, though Ed wasn't sure; he didn't study the room so thoroughly to be able to remember it perfectly. He turned to Aden, intrigued as to why the Valince would bring him here. Aden, of which, seemed to be dedicated to something on one of the tables. Edward raised a brow. 

"Sir?" he asked, causing the redhead to turn his head over his shoulder. "May I ask," Ed continued. "Why you asked me to come here?" Aden gently placed down what he was tinkering with before turning around, fully, to face his slave. 

"I have a small evaluation tomorrow from the people who give me my funding," he explained. "I need to show them my research. It's kind of like what the military holds for you State Alchemists; an evaluation once a year to prove you're worthy of the money they're giving you." Ed's eyes grew more interested at the words coming from his master's mouth. 

"What…what do you have to show for this year?" he dared to ask, his voice somewhat shaky. Aden grinned before turning back to what he was messing with. After a few moments, he looked over his shoulder once more, his emerald eyes half-lidded but a slightly cynical grin across his features. 

"It's the same thing I've been using on you," he explained silently, his words causing Ed widen his eyes curiously.

"What do you mean?" he questioned. Aden swiftly turned around and pointed a gun at Edward's neck. Ed's eyes widened further and he dare not move. The color of his eyes grew small as he waited for a shot to ring out but his ears never heard it and he never felt the pain at his neck. He looked up to Aden, his eyes returning to normal but staying tense, as he awaited an explanation. His golden eyes saw the redhead grinning as he aimed the pistol with both hands firmly on the handle. 

"The first-ever pistol-shot tranquilizer," Aden replied finally. "Until now, tranquilizers had to be shot from air rifles. What I've done is basically eliminate the need to carry around a heavier weapon and given the ability to use two at once. This tranquilizer shoots out just as fast as it does from an air rifle but it's handier for people who don't want to have to own a rifle and are more pistol-based." Ed was quite impressed, although slightly freaked out. A tranquilizer that was shot through a pistol instead of a rifle; it certainly was an improvement for anyone who not only preferred tranquilizers over actual guns but, as Aden stated, for anyone who liked smaller guns better. 

Rifles varied in weights from three to six pounds and sometimes even seven or eight. The same went for air rifles. Ed knew this because he had sometimes taken to go to the shooting area with Riza to do some shooting and spiff up his aiming, and have some fun, not to mention. Riza had showed him everything from Amestrian Eagles(?) to Berettas to AK-47's; he knew most of them by the way they looked and their weight. Even _he_ could agree with Aden; pistols were much lighter and it was also easier to move around with them. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate rifles in any way; he liked their feel and had even been able to overcome the recoil that many struggled with. 

Ed came back to the situation at hand; he still had a pistol loaded with tranquilizer ammo aimed towards his neck. Swallowing a minor lump from his throat, he spoke up, finally. 

"OK," he said. "Why'd you ask me to come up here then?" he questioned Aden. 

"I just wanted your opinion," the emerald-eyed man replied as he pointed the gun downwards. Edward mentally sighed, relieved, and gave his thoughts on the young man's creation. 

"It really is quite handy, sir," he said. "I know what it's like to carry around heavy weaponry and also find pistols to have their advantages over rifles," he explained. "Congratulations," he added, showing a small smile to the scientist. 

"Why thank you, 23," Aden said back. "Let's just hope those bastards providing my funding feel the same," he muttered afterwards. 

"It's really impressive, Aden," Ed dared to call him by his first name. "Why wouldn't they feel the same?"

The Valince didn't really care that his slave had called him by name and he looked back to him. 

"They've always been quite oppressive of me," he replied finally as he looked down to his creation with saddened eyes. "The only reason they really fund me is because my older brother insisted and put out the good word for me." This interested Ed; Aden had a brother? He stayed silent and waited for the redhead to continue.

"But they don't like me very much because of my age; they say I'm too young to be able to amount to much and that I can only come up with amateur creations…I've proved them wrong, however," he stated doggedly. 

"Just how old are you, if may ask?" Ed asked suddenly. Aden looked back to the blonde. 

"I'm currently eighteen," he replied. "But my funding began when I was first became a teenager, which is why they think I'm too young. Even now when I'm two years away from being twenty, they still treat me like I have no business as a scientist," he explained, his grip tightening around the handle of his gun.

"How old is your brother?" Ed questioned.

"He's fourteen years older than me, being thirty-two," The young scientist replied.

"Do they treat your brother the same?" the Fullmetal interrogated softly.

"No, he started at a normal age and they think he's got 'more experience,'" Aden replied. "I don't hate my brother in anyway, Fullmetal, but I wish they could see that _I'm_ the one with more experience; I started at the age of thirteen, for heavens sake!" he yelled out heatedly. The Elric felt some sympathy towards the Valince but still had anger within him from what he had read from the boy's file the day before. He wasn't sure whether to stay away or try and console him. He sighed silently; he would stay silent. Aden had been through some crap in his life but he messed with human lives; he didn't deserve consoling. The hell he had lived through didn't make up for the hell he had put his slaves through.

Equivalent Exchange, after all. 

F----------------M----------------A

Alphonse couldn't believe what his commanding officer was telling him. The young Elric's eyes were wide and tense as his breath and hands were shaky. How could Mustang hide all of this from him? How come he didn't see it coming _before_ it happened? Just because he was young, didn't mean he didn't have the right to this information. 

Edward was missing. 

"But…how? How could he be _missing?_" Al demanded angrily into the phone. He heard Roy heave a sigh. 

"_I'm not sure, Alphonse; now that I'm certain something's not right, I'm going to interrogate the officers that had traveled with him, along with that damn general," _Mustang replied irately as well. 

"Why didn't you see this coming, damn it? Now I don't even know of my brother is alive or dead! Damn it, Mustang, why'd you hide this from me?" the younger Elric demanded, half angry, half ready to start crying slightly. 

"_I'm sorry, Al…I understand how hard this must be for you," _Roy said, trying to keep a cool tone

"I'm going on my own search party, Colonel, and I'm_ not _going to wait for your approval! I need to find my brother, whether you care or not!" Al stated, his voice becoming angry once more. 

"_Don't accuse me of not caring, Second Lieutenant! Edward is one of my most skilled Alchemists, damn it!"_ theColonelsnapped back at the younger heatedly. _"And I understand what it's like to fear for someone who is close to you! I once had a good friend who was almost like a brother to me and I lost him!" _That statement caused Al's eyes to widen as he remembered the death of Maes Hughes and that said officer and Mustang were very good friends. His gaze dropped sadly and he immediately felt sympathy towards his commanding officer…and friend. He also felt sorry for even _thinking_ that the Colonel wouldn't care about his elder brother's safety. 

"I…I'm sorry, sir…" he mumbled apologetically. "I…I didn't mean…I'm sorry." He didn't even know what to tell the man. It stayed quiet for a few moments as Al held the phone at his ear, hoping to hear a response soon. 

"_It's OK, Al," _Mustang said finally. _"And don't worry; you don't need my approval to start your own search party, you already have it." _Alphonse widened his eyes before smiling slightly. 

"Thank you, Colonel," he said appreciatively. "I'll be sure to contact you if I find anything out," he explained. 

"_That's all I ask," _Roy replied. _"And Alphonse?"_

"Yes sir?" the younger Elric questioned. 

"_Be careful," _the ebony-haired man said sternly. _"And, when you find your brother"_ he continued.

"_Tell his sorry ass to stay alive."_

F----------------M----------------A

**(?) Amestrian Eagles: **This gun is actually what we call the 'American Eagle.' I simply changed the name to fit to Edward's universe but the American Eagle does, indeed, exist and, if I do say so myself, it's a pretty powerful gun even though it's a pistol. Look it up yourself, you might agree with my opinion that it is a pretty cool weapon. 

**A/N: **WOOHOO :D New chapter X3 Please R&R, constructive criticism, no flames ;) thanks! 


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